UNITED STATES OF AFRICA

[BaaBaBlackSheep]

When our forefathers were agitating for independence in the early twentieth century, they found strength in working together. The architects of pan-africanism believed that a free africa would be the way to go.
When in 1963 the OAU was formed they believed the seeds of their dream was unfolding. individualism and colonial patronage turned the emerging nations into a race to replace their colonial masters in a battle between communism and capitalism, east and west and evaporated the pan-african dream.
The EAC, SADDEC, COMESA, ECOWAS, IGAD and a myriad other smaller regional and specialised entities have come to being to underline the need for regional blocks as the way to tackle Africa's woes.
Some people will rise in arms because the most recent proponent of this idea is one Colonel Gaddafi of Libya, but before we throw the baby with the water, we should ask: does Africa stand to gain from a pan-african block. Economically? infrastructurally? socio-culturally?
some of the woes/wars ravaging africa could end.
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Great minds discuss ideas; ordinary minds, events; simple minds, people; simpletons, sheep.

[Pirate]

one of the most famous swahili saying says that, Umoja Ni Nguvu utengano Ni Uthaifu, when the OAU was formed most of the leaders sought to unite Africans in fight for freedom, but with raging wars, political instability and social-economical problem with many of member country, the once noble idea has since vanished, between the africa we have now and the united africa, stands the AU,some very selfish presidents, egomaniacs, and some war crime leaders, united states of africa would eliminate most of our problem, but it just wont dawn like day, i dont expect africa to just unite. the start can just be like the common market of EAC, if we could next unite into one political body, then other nations in the east africa might join in and that could just be the start of a dream. but the big question is, can we unite our economies, intergrate our different social and cultural backgrounds and move on????? I'd rather doubt it.
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Undead :when tragedy strikes a wise man consoles himself that what happened to him was inevitable and moves on,
but a fool consoles himself that what happened to him will also happen to others and waits for it to happen.
kenN

[BaaBaBlackSheep]

I hear you, Mr. Pirate, I agree right now there's little goodwill or mechanisms to make this a reality - in my time anyway. But who would have foreseen what we have today 50 years ago?
It is true, the founders of african nations had something to die for; something to unite them: political independence.
What's there to unite us today? economic independence?
You see during the fight for independence, each leader had his space - and pan-africanism was a needed moral booster.
Soon as they got independence, phew!
The leaders started consolidating and galvanising power around them. The dynasty building had started. Pan-africanism, I beg your pardon?
I am presidunk for life!
Enter the second liberation - some countries went bloody, most annihilated the poor, divide-and-rule....along ethnic lines and lately...clanism!
You need to be an integrated nation before you can spell the name P-A-N--A-F-R-I-C-A-N-I-S-M.
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Great minds discuss ideas; ordinary minds, events; simple minds, people; simpletons, sheep.

[Mkenya]

West, North, South and Central Africa need to emulate the East African model first then integrate the different blocks into one united Africa
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i'm gonna live forever, or die trying.... and that's a fact.