Saturday, March 10, 2007

Heavens of hope ...(why African unity 5)

These were the good words from the founding fathers of the African union (the former OAU).All had a statement of hope. I wonder why these heavens of hope fade. We are tired of hearing dozens of hopes…
Don’t you believe this organization is going absolutely to a sort of dictators club?


* * *
We in Sierra Leone have never believed that Africa could not be united. …We are happy that, by the simple fact that we are meeting here from thirty independent states, we have been able to prove, to our selves and to those outside who, for their own reason, would like to see us divided, that there is only ONE AFRICA, and that in this one Africa we are all brothers.
MILTON MARGAY
PRIME MINISTER OF SIERRA LEONE
* * *
When we speak of Africa unity we must beware of clichés and empty words .our guiding principal should be idealism tempered by realism. Vision and imagination accompanied by sober concern for practicability.
H.E ADEN ABDULAH OSMAN
PRESIDENT OF SOMALIA
* * *

Unity is imperative necessary for Africa today .our problem stems from common root and have, we believe, a common answer. Unity is not only our most effective answer but it has for us a message that is essentially and intrinsically different from a plea for unity by others. Colonial and industrially developed countries may regard unity as a method for preserving a statuesque. We regard unity as an endeavour for creation of that which should be both ideally and practically.
H.E EL FEIK I.ABDOUD
PRIME MINISTER OF THE REPUBLIC OF SUDAN
* * *
There will be some who will say that this charter doesn’t go far enough or is not revolutionary enough. This may be so. But what is going far enough?
…and what is being a good revolutionary?
A true revolutionary is not an unrealistic dreamer .a true revolutionary is one who analyses any given situation with scientific objectivity and act accordingly. This is what the conference has been doing: examining realistically what it is that we have in common in our approach to unity and then acting accordingly.
H.E JULIES NYERERER
PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF TANGANYIKA
* * *
In such a perspective, independence is no longer appears as and in itself ,but as a solemn proclamation of an irresistible aspiration of the peoples towards well-being and progress. Independence establishes claim to dignity but doesn’t entirely satisfy that claim, because dignity is really only accessible to people freed from hunger, sickness and ignorance. In these conditions, the political emancipation of Africa can be no more than the necessary prelude to the mobilization of energies and resources with the view to raising men to a higher moral and material level.
H.E HABIB BOURGUIBA
PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF TUNISIA
* * *

The meaning I attached to this conference is that we have gathered here to find the basis as to how we can advance the two revolution’s which running together in Africa.
There is a revolt against foreign rule and economic and social domination. There is also a revolutionary upsurge which aims at giving Africa a new creed, a new certainty. New sense of belonging by transforming the mental attitude and orientation of our people and by giving them a political and a social standard which would ensure a better life than we have today anywhere. To me thus goals can only be achieved through a continental and a joint effort by all of us. There seem to be no disagreement that we should collectively together to achieve these goals.
H.E MILTON OBOTE
PRIME MINISTER OF UGANDA

* * *
What we need are an African organizing mind and one African will facing the problems and challenges which stands in front of the continent and hamper its potentiality for the evolution of its life, and as a result ,reduce its contribution to the drive of human progress.
H.E GAMAL ABDEL NASSER
THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED ARAB REPUPLIC (EGYPT)

* * *
A big breath of pure air, a new definition of man, a new ethnic a new way of imbuing human relations with humanity has been born in Africa: this flame has sometimes flickered: for long time it remained spluttering, but today it sets aglow a whole heaven of hope.
We, head of states of Africa, have the very formidable privilege of hallowing a destiny, the destiny of Africa, but ,at the same time and of necessity, the destiny of universal peace, the destiny of a humanity delivered from the courses of self destruction.
H.E MAURICE YAMEOGO
PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF UPPER VOLTA.

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