Africans of the world, unite

UNITING this great continent called Africa is of paramount importance. Perhaps more than that, it has always been crucial that the people of this continent flourish beyond measure.

This is very important. If ever there is a continent and a people that has suffered so much subjugation and humiliation, it has been the African people. This is why such luminaries as Marcus Garvey were deeply rooted in the conviction that, "Africa for Africans, to those home and abroad". There is but one Africa.

Exactly a week from now, on 25 May 2024, will be Africa Day. We look forward to this day with much anticipation and a sense of pride as we reflect on what it means to be a true African.

For some of us, we hold the belief that we were not born in Africa but Africa was born in us. Our beautiful continent gives us a great sense of belonging and a sense of safety. As we move forward with developing our continent, let us never falter from the Pan-Africanist teachings of Mwalimu Julius Nyerere and Kwame Nkrumah.

It is about time that our continent sets aside any petty issues and comes together towards one common end. I have spoken against one of the ills that has troubled us for the longest time, afrophobia.

Africa is home to all of us and we should never be defined by those colonial borders.

In our quest to attain total emancipation and improve the lives of our people, let us remember this, it is we as Africans who liberated our continent from colonialism with the assistance of those who do not harbour ill-will against us and those who have felt that Africa's success is one of the most important things.

This is a time when we as Africans should take up our place in the global scheme of things and drive the development of our nation. No one will ever truly love this continent more than us.

We will only reach as far as we perceive. Perception, loyalty, hard work, and patriotism should be the drivers of our developmental agendas.

So many of our people have left the mother continent without looking back. This is tragic, our continent needs all its people to take it forward. The vacuum that has been created by our people who have been quick to leave our continent may be difficult to fill. It is time that our people realise that, it does not serve them to betray and castigate their beloved continent. If all of us had left the continent and not participated in its liberation, we would not be here enjoying this freedom that we treasure so much.

Our people should stop leaving the mother continent for the land of our former oppressors. The prosperous land in the West that now enjoys prosperity was built by the sweat and blood of our people, who were shipped off into slavery against their will. I dare say, it is time for the continent's children to troop back home and do what's needed.

Our people's toil in foreign lands could all be put to an end by one swift decision. If our people are reawakened, they could easily be set free from the rat race; come back home to Africa, and rebuild the continent. A simple look at the most developed countries around the globe shows that indeed "nyika inovakwa nevene vayo, ilizwe lakhiwa ngabaninilo". There is no way foreigners would ever assemble to build our nation for us.

It is mind-boggling that our people have been convinced to drop everything and leave.

It is now time that Africans lay claim to their homeland and heritage. We all should start laying one brick at a time and develop our beloved continent. Just imagine if we all potentially contribute a "single brick" towards the building of our continent, we would go far.

Our continent would prosper beyond measure. I dare say, it is time for Africans to assemble and lift our continent up towards total economic emancipation. All Africans of the world should now come in and push towards one common end. With unity of purpose, our continent will rise and take up its rightful place.

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Dr Obert Moses Mpofu is an academic and the Secretary-General of Zanu-PF. He writes in his own capacity.