An interesting insight by Anthony Gahamanyi, a Ugandan paricipant for Together for a new Africa.
In April 1958, in the Ghanaian capital of Accra, a group of delegates and political leaders from across Africa came together in a conference that was initially conceived to represent the position that Africa should be returned to the peoples and groups, such as ethnic communities. The All-African People’s Conference came up with a common African Nationalist identity of unity and anti-colonialism. These leaders believed in a unified Africa held together by its rich culture and history.
First forward 62 years later and this concept of a unified Africa is still far from being achieved. Majority of the African states face issues like; dictatorship, corruption, civil and tribal wars, and many more that hinder this concept of a unified people. These place a huge task on us as African youths to act as agents of change for a New Africa. Luckily for us, Together for a New Africa (T4NA) stepped in at the right time.
Together for a New Africa through it’s various courses on leadership and unity, and with the help of it’s professional and dedicated professors, has provided us with the tools we need as young leaders to play our role in achieving positive leadership and unity in our various countries. Over the past 2 summer schools, we’ve been lectured on topics ranging from the basics about individual and organizational leadership, to the concepts of Identity crisis, African unity and UBUNTU in general.
Individually, before enrolling in T4NA as a student, I looked at the difficulties we were facing in our African countries as ones that were difficult and hard to eliminate. Furthermore, the concept of Ubuntu is one that had never crossed my mind. From December 2018, my mindset was tremendously changed. Over the past 2 years, I’ve grown to look at leadership on a whole different perspective. I’ve learnt that to eliminate most of the difficulties we face today, it all starts with having the right mindset as leaders. I also now appreciate more the concept of African Unity and Ubuntu at large and believe it can be achieved with time if we all play our part as Africans.
Like the professors always told us in the past 2 schools, there is still more to learn. And I believe that after our 3rd summer school in 2021, we will be well equipped to carry what we’ve learned and take it to the masses in our respective countries, because a New Africa can only be achieved through our collective effort as Africans.
