“African Unity and the need for Africans to speak with one voice, one action in Africa for Africans worldwide”, was the subject of discussion at a day-forum, organised by Global Unification-The Gambia Charpter, at the KMC Conference Hall in Kanifing.

The forum brought together Pan-Africanist, academia, media practitioners, students and a cross section of communities as part of a series of activities marking the Big-bang campaign for African Unity.

Ms Angela Colley, Secretary of State for Tourism and Culture, in her capacity as the Guest Speaker at the occasion, emphasised the need for Africans to be united, despite remaining the poorest continent in the world as with the spirit of unity, Africa can make it. “United we stand, divided we fall. Africa is our beloved motherland and we have cherish our deep-rooted enviable traditional norms and values, love and respect for one another, thus the much-needed peace and spirit of African unity will bear fruit without delay,” she said.

According to SoS Colley, as sons and daughters of Africa, the great continent destiny behooves on all and we don’t play our part, then we cannot achieve the dreams of African unity and called on the African Heads State to show leadership skills and strengthen their resolve towards African unity.

The Tourism Secretary of State hailed the recently concluded annual Kanilai International Cultural Festival, organised by President Jammeh, describing it as a right step in the right direction in the move towards the spirit of African unity. She further noted that the event drew participants from different parts of the world, especially in the sub-region, who all asserted with maximum zeal displayed of their traditional norms and values, in an atmosphere of peace, love and respect.

She then commended the organisers of the forum over what she called their sense of love and respect for the continent.

Professor NF Awasom, Head of History Masters Programme and Senior Lecturer at the University of The Gambia, said the idea of African unity is a reality and unfolding.  He said “we have to adjust to new developments taking place. In building African unity, we have to make everyone safe and be adequately exposed to the ideas surrounding it. We have to proceed from it and create new platforms and work to achieve the ideas of Africa unity”.

The UTG Professor then added that no body can stop Africans from being united.

Ebrima Jaw Manneh, News Editor at the Daily Observer, who deputised for Dr Alieu Badara Saja Taal, Managing Director of the Observer Company, through a paper read by Assan Sallah, a reporter with the Daily Observer, who stepped in his senior’s shoes, said “Africans must realise that the continent is ours and we must begin to appreciate that fact. “ We must see ourselves as one people, despite our cultural diversity and for this to happen, we most promote continental institutions, such as the African Union (AU) and promote the idea of Pan- Africanism,” he said.

Mr Sallah then noted that this concept most be fully understood by all and sundry across the continent, especially in the North and Eastern part of Africa.

Accordingto Mr Sallah, to achieve the above stated goals for African unity, it requires all Africans to de-nationalise our thinking about the continent. “Our main problem today is our divergent views surrounding the continent, some of which are irrelevant to our present situation,” he urged.

Ousman Bah, Communications Officer of Action Aid-The Gambia and Ebrima S. Dem, National Representative of Global Unification-The Gambia Charpter, also presented papers on the theme “One Voice, One Action and One Africa”.

The forum was followed by questions and answer session, attended by Halifa Sallah, renowned politician and Co-ordinator of NAAD, who spoke at length on the ideas of African unity and liberation.