Por centuries, Europeans have dominated the African continent. The white man has arrogated to himself the right to govern and to be obeyed by non-whites. His mission, he said, was to "civilize" Africa.
By virtue of this mantle, the Europeans have stolen the continent of great wealth and inflicted unimaginable suffering on African populations.
It all makes for a sad story, but now we have to be prepared to bury the past with its unpleasant memories and look to the future. All we ask of the former colonial powers is their goodwill and cooperation to remedy our past mistakes and injustices and to grant independence to the colonies in Africa…
It is clear that we must find an African solution to our problems, and that this cannot be found in African unity.
Divided we are weak, united, Africa could become one of the greatest forces for good in the world.
Although most Africans are poor, our continent is potentially very rich.
Our mineral resources, which are exploited with foreign capital only to enrich foreign investors, ranging from gold and diamonds to uranium and oil.
Our forests contain some of the finest woods to be grown anywhere.
Our cash crops are cocoa, coffee, rubber, tobacco and cotton.
As with power, which is an important factor in any economic development, Africa has over 40% of the world's potential water power, compared to around 10% in Europe and 13% in North America.
Yet so far less than 1% has been developed.
This is one of the reasons why we have in Africa the paradox of poverty in the midst of abundance and scarcity in the midst of abundance.
Never has a people had such great opportunity within their reach to develop a continent endowed with so much wealth.
Individually, the independent states of Africa, some of which may be rich, others poor, can do little for their people.
Together, through mutual aid, they can accomplish a lot.
But the continent's economic development must be planned and pursued as a whole.
A confederation designed solely for economic cooperation would not allow the necessary unity of purpose.
Only a strong political union can ensure the full and efficient development of our natural resources for the benefit of our people.
The political situation in Africa today is encouraging and at the same time worrying.
It is encouraging to see so many new flags being hoisted in place of the old one, it is disturbing to see so many countries of different sizes and at different levels of development, weakness and in some cases almost powerless.
If this terrible state of fragmentation is allowed to continue, it can have dire consequences for all of us.
There are currently some 28 states in Africa, excluding the Union of South Africa, and these countries are not yet free.
The example of South America, which has as much, if not more, than North America, and yet remains weak and dependent on outside interests, is one that all Africans would do well to study.
Critics of African unity often refer to the lack of culture of great differences, language and ideas in different parts of Africa.
This is true, but the essential fact remains that we are all Africans, and have a common interest in the independence of Africa.
The difficulties presented by questions of language, culture and different political systems are not insurmountable.
If the need for political union is accepted by all of us
The current leaders of Africa have already shown a remarkable willingness to consult and seek advice among themselves.
Africans have indeed started to think on a continental scale.
They realize that they have a lot in common, both in their history, in their current problems and their hopes for the future.
To suggest that the time has not yet come to consider a political union of Africa is to evade the facts and ignore the realities in Africa today.
The greatest contribution that Africa can make to world peace is to avoid all the dangers inherent in disunity, by creating a political union which will also by its success serve as an example for a divided world. .
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