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IMPACT AFRICA

MY

AFRICAN DREAM

frican Unity is a very controversial
issue that many intellectuals have
debated over. In arguing against the
possibility of African unity, there are
Amany points to support this argument.
Firstly, there are major differences or heterogeneity
in the languages Africans speak. For example,
in Nigeria alone, we have about 300 languages
that include Yoruba, Igbo, Hausa, Tiv, Ijaw and Efik.
Kenya has the Maasai, Luhya, Luo, Kalenjin, and
Kikuyu speaking people. In Botswana, there are
the Tswana, Kalanga, and Khoisan speaking people.
The Griquas and Malays are indigenous to South
Africa and the Diola and Malinke speaking people
to Gambia. Zambia has over 70 languages, the
common ones being Tonga, Nyanja, Bemba, Lozi,
Luvale, Kaonde and Soli.
Furthermore, ethnicity or tribalism is also another
problem that has to be tackled if African unity is to
be achieved. There have been constant inter-tribal
wars like the Ijaw and Itsekiri war of 1999/2000
and the Jukun and Tiv war of 2002.
These, and many other factors make it seem
as though African unity is impossible, but the
formation of the African Union has waded through
most of the barriers to achieving African unity.
Formed on May 25, 1963 as the Organisation
of African Unity (O.A.U) then later changed in
July 2002 to the African Union (A.U), its major
objectives are to promote unity and solidarity in
African states, spur economic development, and
promote international co-operation.
The African Union can achieve unity in all African
countries through the following ways:
• Inter- trading relations between African
countries. travelling both on the continent and abroad. In most cases,
• Creation of an African passport which is already Africans are profiled and met with some racial discrimination.
underway. What I am trying to point out here is that we should not take
• Introduction of women-active participation in leadership. actions that are detrimental to the African continent.
African unity is achievable if the factors that can make it a
Recently, the African union introduced a protocol for the free reality are acted upon. The success on the Free Movement
movement of persons in Africa. If the protocol is disseminated of Persons in Africa will become a reality and yield tangible
efficiently, it will bring about unity in African countries.
results, if the benefits are properly marketed to the citizens
and if there is political will from the leaders.
Africans suffer when they travel abroad because of racial
discrimination which is a vice that is yet to be eliminated in The Africa that we should create, should not be based on the
the world. It should be a travesty to have an African travel ideas of the western world; rather we should create an Africa
into another African country only to be met with hatred on his that is based on our ideas that can also be copied or borrowed
own continent! To compare and contrast, when a white man by other continents. The Africa I dream of and want to grow in,
travels into an African country, his reception and treatment is is a united one.
somewhat of a king which is quite the contrary for an African

31 The Africa We Want