Page 48 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 9

FEATURES

Who will change the story? Are we sabotaging ourselves? skills together to have a thriving and
It appears that everything that some Well maybe, maybe not or just a collective Afrikan continent. A
of the founding fathers of the OAU maybe we are not aware or we one united Afrika that can with-
said during the early stages of Af- choose not to be aware that we are stand the strength of the outside
rika's independence from colonial not helping ourselves get ahead. I world. But this cannot and will not
masters is actually happening in remember in our last issue, we had happen by some magic, but through
our days, just as the words of those an interview with the renowned a selfless and a pan-Afrikan ap-
ancient prophecies and dreams Kenyan pan-Afrikanist Professor proach to dealing with issues.
came to pass in the era of colonial- PLO Lumumba. In answering one
ism. But I am not one who likes to of the questions put to him about To prove my point about how self-
sit on my backside complaining of the issues in Afrika, I can't remem- less we must be in order to achieve
what was and what is not. I believe ber exactly which question, he a thriving Afrika that is based on
in the ability to change stories from spoke about the now recently-con- love, unity, brotherhood etc, I read
the popular narrative to a new one cluded World Trade Organization somewhere online where the same
that both engineers and energizes leadership race in which a new Prof PLO Lumumba was quoted as
progressiveness. In other words, I director-general was being sought having said that, for the position of
am tired of the stale story of foreign for to replace the Brazilian Rober- the director general of the WTO,
oppressors coming to Afrika to do to Azevedo, who stepped down a he would prefer Nigeria's Okon-
this or that even when all Afrikan year earlier than expected. Among jo Iweala because she was more
nations are supposed to be sover- those contesting for that position qualified for the job as opposed to
eign states, just because we are not from Afrika were Kenyan Minister Amina Mohamed, a fellow Kenya
fighting towards one goal as Afri- of sports Amina Mohamed, former like himself. Many must have casti-
kans or because we keep selling out Nigerian Minister of finance Ngozi gated him for his choice, but I think
our inheritance for gains. But the Okonjo-Iweala and Egypt's Hamid I understand what his thinking is.
question is this, who will change the Mamdouh. His concern was that,
story? why did Afrika not pick just one Now I am not using his perspective
No one else but you and me candidate to represent her inter- in any way to support a Nigerian
est and then let all Afrikan states candidate or whatever, but that if
From all indications and from the support that one candidate till the we all can begin to think pan-Afri-
fact that the miracle of change has seat was secured, instead of having kan instead of just of our nations
not happened by some game of multiple candidates from Afrika of origin, just maybe we can help
chance or magic even after sixty contesting among themselves and ourselves break this stronghold that
years of independence in Afrika, by that Afrika may have ended up is holding Afrika back from getting
shows that the work to change losing in the race. to her best.
our continent lies in our collective (At the time of publishing this
awareness that we have issues that article, Nigeria's candidate, Ngo- Afrikan free trade area
we need to urgently deal with, our zi Okonjo Iweala, had just been The Afrikan Continental Free
resolve to change and also our selected to take the seat.) Trade Area, which will be oper-
awareness that we must be strategic ational from 2021, I believe has
in our dealing with these issues. Even though I am not familiar with come to test our hearts and zeal
Like it has been said and even over- the process for picking the candi- concerning creating a united Afrika,
said, the solution to Afrika's prob- date for the seat of WTO director just like Covid-19 came to show us
lem lies in the hands of Afrikans. general and how just choosing one that with one voice and a synergy of
But the question is this, do we really candidate from Afrika according to strength, we can achieve anything as
have those who are solution bring- PLO would help Afrika secure that Afrikans in Afrika.
ers in Afrika or are we just talking? seat, I understood what PLO was I am one among a few who wishes
The answer is yes we do. But talking about from the perspective not to be referred to or known by
another question is this, why are the of a pan-Afrikanist. We as Afrikans any lone nationality in Afrika but
solutions so long in coming? Well, have lost so much over the years as an Afrikan. Meaning that every
I do not have any one single answer because we keep fighting to make Afrikan has the right to be home in
for this question even though it names for ourselves as separate any part of Afrika they find them-
is clear as daylight that we need a Afrikan nations instead of putting selves.
quick solution like yesterday. our resources, votes, voices, talents, That would be a new Afrikan story.

48 | Heal . restore . rebirth . Afrika