African Unity Discussed

As efforts continue to be stepped up in paving a way-forward for a single African government, Gambia’s literary luminaries last Friday converged at the School of Nursing in Banjul to discuss the issue and other cognate ones.

The intellectual discourse, which revolved around the theme United States of Africa- Problems and Challenges, was geared towards drumming up support for a united Africa.

Speaking in the forum, Dr. Omar Jah, Head of Humanities and Language Department at the UTG, lamented the lack of complete independence of African states as well as the identity crisis on the continent.
He pointed out that the African continent is bearing the brunt of identity problem because many Africans are not prepared to identify themselves as Africans.

To Dr. Jah, Africa could unite under a single government if essential elements such as mutual respect and that spirit of Africanness are embraced.

Also speaking at the forum was the Managing Director of the Daily Observer Company, Dr. Sarja Taal, who observed that Africa comprises of two classes of people. The first class, he went on, comprises of intellectuals and the wealthy. The second class, he added, are the illiterates and the poor. He went on to state that the debate is not a question of why Africa can unite but when and how it could be done. 

For his part, Dr. Lamin Sidibeh, Head of Social Sciences Department at the UTG, dilated on the diversity and the attitudes of Africans. He asserted that United States of Africa is long overdue, noting that group coherence is indeed needed and that the fundamental determinant issues such as behavioural aspects, organisational and cultural pluralism should be addressed.

Other speakers on the occasion include Messrs. Halifa Sallah, Demba Ceesay of the Gambia College and the symposium was chaired by Dr. Gumbo Touray of the UTG.