Page 151 - Afrika Must Unite

136 AFRICA MUST UNITE
ficant later, though the conference in Lagos never, in fact, took
place.
W hen I returned to West Africa in 1947, it was with the
intention of using the Gold Coast as a starting-off point for
African independence and unity. W ith the mass movement I
was able to build up in the Convention People’s Party, the Gold
Coast secured its freedom and emerged as the sovereign state of
G hana in 1957. I at once made it clear that there would be no
meaning to the national independence of Ghana unless it was
linked with the total liberation of the African continent. While
our independence celebrations were actually taking place, I
called for a conference of all the sovereign states of Africa, to
discuss plans for the future of our continent.
The first Conference of Independent African States met in
Accra in April 1958. There wrere then only eight, namely, Egypt,
Ghana, Sudan, Libya, Tunisia, Liberia, Morocco and Ethiopia.
O ur purpose was to exchange views on matters of common
interest; to explore ways and means of consolidating and safe­
guarding our independence; to strengthen the economic and
cultural ties between our countries; to decide on workable
arrangements for helping fellow Africans still subject to colonial
rule; and to examine the central world problem of how to secure
peace.
W hen, on 15 April 1958, 1 welcomed the representatives to the
conference, I felt that at last Pan-Africanism had moved to the
African continent where it really belonged. It was an historic
occasion. Free Africans were actually meeting together, in
Africa, to examine and consider African affairs. Here was a signal
departure from established custom, a ja r to the arrogant
assumption of non-African nations that African affairs were
solely the concern of states outside our continent. The African
personality was making itself known.
Because m any of the speeches made at the conference were
similar in content, it was alleged in some quarters that there had
been previous collaboration. I am able to state categorically that
all of us who spoke had prepared our speeches independently.
If they showed identity of thought and belief, it was because our
attitudes in Africa were assuming an identity of vision and
purpose.