Professor Earle Taylor

May 25 is officially declared as Africa Day by the AU, and it is registered on the calendar of every African state as well as the UN. With all due respect, and after deep reflection as a development strategist, I see the notion of Africa Day as virtually empty and meaningless.

And if we are not conscious, this day could easily be a distraction like Christmas and Easter to the average citizen – another day off work, of fun, leisure and shopping. Now, before you all start to release your reactions and emotions, I would kindly ask my esteemed brothers and sisters to hold back the venom until you have read the article, beyond the headline.

Like most Africans, I do genuinely appreciate and fully support the intent behind Africa Day.

I also understand the elaborate planning work that has gone into its consideration, rolling out and the publicity propagation, and of course the sort of thinking that may have influenced the choice of Africa Day over Africa Liberation Day, which it replaced.

First, in the modern concept of development, Africa Day comes out and across more like a mantra, a notice, a caption, not a motion. By itself, it lacks energy, as well as context and intent. And as such, it loses a great opportunity to consolidate and reconstruct the dynamism, and the true trajectory of Africa’s rich and documented history. And above all, it fails to ignite and inspire the re-imagination of a great nation, for the move forward. Africa Liberation Day was envisioned well over a hundred years and mooted by Marcus Garvey long before 1958 when the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) – now AU - ceded to it as an agenda item, and which it formally endorsed in 1963.

So, Africa Liberation Day is a charge on African leaders, Africans on the continent, those in the diaspora and well-wishers to awake, to be alert, and to be ready for the struggle towards Africa’s full emancipation. And here, full emancipation must mean that nation states take back and own their sovereignty from the various regimes that had captured and controlled it.

This implies that African liberation is not an event. It is a day to remind of our commission as nation states under the umbrella of the AU. In this context, Africa’s liberation enwraps several events or landmarks in a development continuum, which is to be achieved
over a period of time, starting with political independence at national
levels. This is the pivot point.

The point from which the various African states would launch and initiate strategies to implement the next stage of liberation, their economic independence.

Quite rightly, the AU in its Vision 2063 was explicit. This vision popularly addressed as Agenda 2063 is built on the presumption that both stage one and two of the process (political and economic liberation) would have been completed by 2063. This will give the AU its impetus to launch the third phase, which is the continental independence of Africa, meaning the political and economic independence of each of Africa’s 55 states, including the African diaspora. These latter two outcomes are critical to the AU agenda 2063 for the total emancipation and liberation of Africa.

From my vantage point as a development economist, I see the need for much more energy, focus and priority, greater effort, smart and strategic
work, and speed for the realisation of this noble vision and objectives.

Critical concerns

Unfortunately, the world development trends may not be as favourable as we sought, and could adversely disrupt our plans if we continue the path that we are currently on. The AU and its nation states need to undertake a series of reviews/adjustments of its long-term strategies by/before 2025.

The reality is that the current barometer on global development is pointing towards the opposite direction, and that the developing world (not only Africa), their governments and nationals are actually losing sovereignty rather than gaining.  Evidence of this phenomena abounds in the increasing capture, seizure, control and centralisation (and subordination) of financial and communication assets for global trading transactions under the absolute authority of the same colonial powers.

These recent approaches define the fresh and subtle tactics by the former oppressors to impose its new form of global enslavement in which small and developing countries are unable to exercise their sovereign rights, their political independence, and put to bay thoughts of economic independence.

Africa’s and our dilemma

For Africa Day to be meaningful and eventful, the concept of Africa liberation day must be frontal in the minds of every African, wherever s/he may live and work. Going forward over the next years requires all Africans to be conscious, and committed to the AU and national call. But equally, the AU itself and its constituting states and governments must demonstrate both maturity, seriousness, sincerity, and provide visible evidence of their support and commitment beyond their words and documents.

Finally, as Marcus Garvey reminded us over and over a century ago, Africa liberation (and by extension Africa Day) must be a day/time of reflection, not just on the past, but more on the future. A future that must positively and proactively engage and integrate today’s young people into the development formula, going forward. This is not a task for tomorrow, it is a task for today, and this should not be postponed. In the same vein, the youth must be prepared and willing to learn from their elders, and develop smart skills to discern what is good and what is not. How they integrate education, technology, science and entrepreneurship is critical to their success. The future belongs to the youth, but a successful future depends, to a large extent, on how and what you do today.

Congratulations,

Happy reflections for a happy Africa Day.

*Professor Earle Taylor is a professor in entrepreneurship, strategic management and public policy.