Teach Pan- Africanism from childhood

Loving the fact that you are Africans implies that you are a Pan-Africanist.Pan-Africanism may also refer to advocacy of African unification, or a sociopolitical world view, philosophy and movement that seeks to unify native Africans and those of African heritage into a global African community. In this case I don’t base the Pan-Africanism validity on fighting for freedom or independence but rather on the fact that you love Africa. However, more youth are deficient of the pillar of Pan-Africanism in them. They are naïve about what happens around them but are sophisticated with what happened in Europe, the U.S.A and other continents. They live outside Africa in Africa. It is so fine to be well informed about the west but it is better to understand your hometown because that is where you live. It is ridiculous to watch a 15-year-old Rwandan chant about Las Vegas but remain clueless about Kigali. They are not proud of being African. Many dreadful axioms are used by youth such as; “Africans are funny”, “we are so backward”, and “we don’t know what we want”, “we will never be development like other developed countries”. Such self-hatred is a way to failure. Yet these mortifying adages are borrowed from the elderly people we look up to. They lack patriotism, the love for their country and Africa as a whole. It is relevant that Pan-Africanism be taught from childhood to lay foundation and broaden the minds of Africans. Additionally if Africans are to develop their societies, they must value originality. In Nyerere’s book review “Africa’s Liberation, The legacy of Nyerere”, his work in highlights and uplifts African culture and language. He said, “the right of a man to stand upright as a human being in his own country comes before questions of the kind of society he will create once he has that right. Freedom is the only thing that matters until its won.” Having the right and questions of the kind of society you want is what can be recognized as love for your country kin, Pan-Africanism. Therefore for a better Africa with proud Africans, Pan-Africanism needs to grow from the roots to lay a firm foundation for our lovely continent AFRICA. rutarindwabob@yahoo.co.uk