The Organisation of African Unity (African Union) At 50

The Organisation of African Unity (OAU): at 50

The creation of the OAU on 25^th May 1963 was an initiative aimed at strengthening and kick-starting sustainable independence in every developmental aspect like other nations. Fifty years on, Africans are concerned that their continent is yet to be truly independent and progressive.

The Indicators of Success

As the saying “the proof of the pudding is in the eating” thus, the true test of success of the OAU (now the African Union) fifty years on can only be judged by Africans themselves.

In reality Africans worldwide are aware that the African Union exists to protect the individuals in political and governmental offices to the exclusion of the people. Governments have failed to integrate and include their citizens in developing their country and continent.  The result of this failing has created an African Union partnership that is an empty shelf in the words of a prominent Member of the European Parliament with Governments unable to deliver on the terms of the partnership.    

Africa is the richest Continent measured in terms of natural and human resources; yet Africans are forced to leave their home countries in search of economic opportunities due to the lack of effective governance. This reality on the ground paints a conclusive picture of the failings of African Governments and the African Union collectively.  

Some academics and writers on African affairs argue that the engagement of the African Union in peace keeping missions in Africa is a positive indicator of success. This view appears short sighted as it ignores the root causes of conflict in the first place. Africa has self imposed leaders whose main interest is the embezzlement of public funds that is spent and banked abroad.  The African Union exists to protect members’ personal interests rather than the interest of unity and recovery from the backwardness imposed through commercial, slave trading and direct colonialisation in Africa. 

It is an open secret that most African Head of States are dictators with many in political power directly since the 1980s.  Others maintain strangle holds over their countries through cronies. The struggles against colonial domination and apartheid have not yielded the dividends that were envisaged by all of those engaged to free Africa.

Examples Include

Sacrifices made to end apartheid in South Africa by Steve Biko Pa Nelson Mandela and Winnie Mandela amongst others ended political apartheid in South Africa but, economic apartheid deepens to prevent South Africans to enjoy the gains of political equality.

Sacrifices made by Ugandans to end dictatorship under General Idi Amin are yet to deliver democracy and sustainable socio-economic development for Uganda. The leader of the guerrilla army that removed Idi Amin continues to hold Ugandans hostage for the personal contributions that he made over twenty years ago. Women of Africa stand with Ugandan Journalists who are now standing against their modern day dictator’s imposition of his son on Uganda after he retires. Nigerians face untold inhumanity and untimely deaths from their governments and cronies who manipulates the electoral, governmental and security processes to meet international expectations.  

Fifty years of political independence from colonial masters is that individually, African nations continue to manipulate electoral processes to meet international calls for world democracy; thus alienating Africans whose participation in the political socio-economic recovery process would deliver the African Dream. Collectively, the African Union represents the interest and unity of Africa’s head of governments who are using every means    

The Way Forward:

The international community need to insist on an end to centuries of impunity against Africans; Africa is richer than most continents in the world and therefore should not expect to receive International aid for Africa’s development. Global partnerships should impose compliance with international standards by African Heads of State.

The deepening backwardness of Africa in the 21^st century necessitates a change of tactics by the United Nations, European Union and other world bodies who are actively engaging with the African Union. United Nations should be about united peoples instead of just the few in position of advantage. The growing threat of global terror is an indication of the need to change world consciousness in favour of Civil Society women’s right of engagement in the decision-making process.

It is time to encourage and recognise the creation of Civil Society women structures that would to a large extend dilute the failing political governments in Africa. The recent World Bank Review suggested that Africa is growing economically; it is grossly misleading to equate paper growth and/or growth achieved through foreign investment as Africa growing economically. It is not a secret that the celebrated emerging market and economic growth is to the exclusion of Africans in their own land and Continent.

It is not possible to achieve sustainable peace, stability, good governance, transparency, protection of human rights and true democracy in Africa without the active engagement of Africans themselves in the process.

African governments must create the enabling environment for Africans to step into the vast opportunity for production and the trade available in Africa.  

Fifty years after the creation of the OAU (now African Union), Africa is still struggling and Africans are still trotting the globe in search of food and safety. It is time to support the creation of an African women’s commission to represent Civil Society. The African Union has failed to meet the aspirations of Africans 50 years on and the necessities of the 21^st Century.

The realisation of reform and progress can only be through the recognition of African women by the international community, as equal stakeholders in African and world affairs at civil society level..

Women Of Africa (WOA) is working to raise the profile of African women onto the international level for Africa’s reform. African women are decision makers in their homes and communities by tradition and continue to represent the economic survival of the African continent.  The international community continues to not recognise the important role of African women commensurately on the international stage. Sexual violence, exclusion from national and international affairs is amongst the woes African women are suffering due to their loss of status through immature globalisation.

Visit www.womenofafrika.org for further information.

Contact us by email: ukokoA@gmail.com  

 

 

                                       TRAFFICKING IS AN INTERNATIONAL CRIME

Why should NGOs and donors lavish efforts and resources into finding a humanitarian solution to a large scale criminal aspect of political office holding?  

Corruption in public offices is the root cause of trafficking of Africa's girl children and women for prostitution and other vices. This was the point I made at the workshop organised by Comic Relief in London on Thursday 3.5.12 to find ways of preventing this crime against women and humanity.

To prevent this crime against humanity, there need to be combined campaign to raise the profile of trafficking. World citizens should join hands in persuading the British Government and other international governments to assist in tracking down embezzled and laundered public funds and these international thieves prosecuted and brought to due justice where ever the stolen wealth goes. These people kill and rob their own citizens to fund their personal lifestyles with impunity.

The British Government succeeded in bringing James Onanefe Ibori of Delta State to justice for embezzling and laundering the resources of  Delta State blessed with abundant crude oil and natural liquid gas. Yet, the people of Delta State - Nigeria are amongst the poorest and most brutalised in the world.

I congratulate grass roots women and children of Delta State for their courage in presenting Victim Report to His Honour Judge Pitts of Southwark Crown Court, London, informing him of the impact that James Ibori's crimes continue to have in their every day and life chances, the tragedies they face while trying to escape from Delta State - Nigeria to foreign lands.

Those who died on 30th March 2008 in the coast of Libya trying to cross to Italy after under taking dangerous routes to arrive Libya, were victims of these crimes and the women ensured that the HH Judge Pitts knew about this. They told him of a young lady who was raped over and over again during the journey, she became pregnant but drowned trying to cross to Italy.

I am deeply grateful to the British Government for succeeding where Nigeria failed to hold James Onanefe Ibori accountable for his crimes against humanity and the people of Delta State. It is my hope that the case of James Onanefe Ibori would send a strong warning signal to all those whose main reason for imposing themselves on the people of Nigeria under the guise of being political leaders, know that it is only a Matter of Time before they are held accountable for their own crimes against the Nigerian people.
                                             
                                        JUSTICE DELAYED IS NEVER JUSTICE DENIED

International trafficking and illegal migration from Delta State and other parts of Africa is as a result of the embezzlement and laundering of public funds.  It is sad that while other nationals are working hard to make their natural resources serve their people and their country, there are those who are killing and robbing their own people to fund their personal lifestyle and starching their people's wealth away in foreign banks.

I wish grass roots women and children of Delta State best of LUCK as they aim to pursue the return of their stolen wealth to Delta State. I am aware that Deltans are concerned that returning the loot to the current government amounts to returning the loot to James Onanefe Ibori through his first cousin, family members and cronies. I will strongly advise that we should allow the women and the children of Delta State to cross that bridge when they get to it. I am aware that in the Victim Statement, the women and children made their fear in this regard known to HH Judge Pitts.

GREED IS A MENTAL ILLNESS THAT WOULD LEAD THOSE DIRECTLY AND         INDIRECTLY PLAGUED WITH IT TO DESTRUCTION

Alice Ukoko for Women Of Africa: “Why do civilizations flourish and fail?”

Alice Ukoko for Women Of Africa: “Why do civilizations flourish and fail?”: “Why do civilizations flourish and fail?” World history maintains that humanity and civilization began in Africa Throug...

“Why do civilizations flourish and fail?”

“Why do civilizations flourish and fail?”

World history maintains that humanity and civilization began in Africa Through missionaries, transatlantic and commercial slave trading Africa, like a dutiful Mother supported world development and civilization

The delay in Africa’s modern day civilization can be traced to the far-reaching impact of external disruptions in Her developmental process.  It is a fact that Africa is largely regarded as a member of the unified world although in terms of development, African countries are lagging behind in most aspects of the global partnership, a world partnership recognised only as allies to support the interest of the rest of the world to the detriment of Africa

It is therefore not surprising that Africa although politically independent is not able to take control of its own affairs to meet international standards and to deliver for Africans worldwide the dividends of political independence from colonialism and end to the transatlantic slavery

The failings of Africa to develop to international standard through realistic reform was raised on 7^th December 2010 in Brussels during the EU- Dev Days (6^th to 7^th December 2010) by a prominent member of the European Parliament. According to the MEP, Africans should stop blaming others for their failings and to realise that the responsibility of Africa’s reform is theirs alone TRUE

Repeatedly the EU event stressed the need for African governments to include Africa’s civil society in the development of the Continent

Africa needs to reform and the violence and abuse of African women and girl children need to end. This is the driving force of the work that WOA is doing to raise the profile of African women for international recognition through remote support

Without liberty and shared sense of responsibility amongst Africans, it is not possible for the Continent to recover and reform in our lifetime. Traditionally, women define Africa’s culture and traditions it therefore stands to reason that unless African women are brought to the decision making process in Africa’s affairs as equal stakeholders, the African dream will not be realised and nor, would the challenges in global peace, economic and political stability be achieved

Although I am outside of the age limit for this summer school, I am encouraged to present this application by the urgent need that I feel to take African women to the world stage to encourage the Legatum Institute and other members of the global world to support the efforts of WOA towards achieving liberty and responsibility

My participation at the summer school would be of mutual benefit to LI and Africa as it would confidently discuss the challenges women face and Africa’s reform and how, the outcome of the African women Congress and Commission that WOA is working to deliver can be adapted globally to support women universally

Alice Ukoko is member of Worldwide Who is Who Directory and Professional of the Year 2012 – 2013. As I am outside the age limit I feel the necessity to await favourable consideration before approaching professionals for support.