Africa Must Unite

by Kwame Nkrumah

This book, by a great PanAfricanist leader, sets out the case for the total liberation and unification of Africa. It is essential reading for all interested in world socio-economic developmental processes. Those who might have considered in 1963, when Africa Must Unite was first published, that Kwame Nkrumah was pursuing a 'policy of the impossible', can now no longer doubt his statesmanship. Increasing turmoil through the succession of reactionary military coups and the outbreak of needless civil wars in Afirca prove conclusively that only unification can provide a realistic solution for Africa's political and economic problems. In the words of the author, "To suggest that the time is not yet ripe for considering a political union of Africa is to evade facts and ignore realities in Africa today. Here is a challenge which destiny has thrown . to the leaders of Africa."

Genres: Africa, Nonfiction, Politics, History, Ghana, Race

229 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1963

About the author

Kwame Nkrumah PC was a Ghanaian politician and revolutionary. He was the first prime minister and president of Ghana, having led it to independence from Britain in 1957. An influential advocate of Pan-Africanism, Nkrumah was a founding member of the Organization of African Unity and winner of the Lenin Peace Prize in 1962.

Reviews

[Gerhard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Falling into a bit of a rabbit hole when researching decoloniality for a thesis chapter, I found myself reading ‘Africa Must Unite’ by Kwame Nkrumah, which opens with the famous line: “Freedom! Hedsole! Sawaba! Uhuru!”

In 1957, Ghana was the first country in Sub-Saharan Africa to sever ties with Great Britain. It was one of several countries that achieved nominal independence in the decade of the Bandung Conference in 1955. Hosted in Bandung, Indonesia, the conference was a historic gathering of political leaders and foreign ministers from 29 Asian and African countries.

A persistent myth of the Bandung Conference is that Kwame Nkrumah himself was in attendance, when instead his friend Kojo Botsio went as an ‘observer’ and instructed him to “keep his head down.” Indeed, there was a rash of reports about famous anticolonial figures attending Bandung, from Fidel Castro to Jomo Kenyatta.

The ‘Spirt of Bandung’, as it was referred to, became the heart of decolonisation. Nkrumah, Ghana’s first president, was a famous champion of pan-Africanism:

This expanding world of free African nations is the climax of the conscious and determined struggle of the African peoples to throw off the yoke of imperialism, and it is transforming the continent. Not all the ramparts of colonialism have yet fallen. Some still stand, though showing gaping rents from the stormy onslaughts that have been made against them. And we who have battled our way to independence shall not stand quiet until the last stronghold of colonialism has been laid to the ground in Africa.

Nkrumah was toppled in a coup d’etat in 1966. Nothing came of his clarion call for Africa to unite against American hegemony and capitalism. However, given his idea for an All-African Trade Union Federation, it is interesting that the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) was adopted in May 2018 as part of the African Union’s ‘Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want’.

A contentious claim about this book is that it was basically ghostwritten by Israeli diplomat Moshe Pearlman, a confidant to Nkrumah. I could only find two citations alluding to this claim. In all probability, it has become part of the mythos of the ‘Spirit of Bandung’.

What cannot be denied is Nkrumah’s incredible passion for Pan-Africanism. Charismatic and outspoken, he would inspire many decolonial thinkers and activists to come.

[Whitlaw Tanyanyiwa Mugwiji · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this book, Africa Must Unite, Dr Nkrumah paints a vivid picture of how Africa could become an economic giant through communications, industrial and commercial integration. He argues that without political integration there cannot be economic integration. To use his own words, he says “African Unity is, above all a political kingdom which can only be gained by political means. The social and economic development of Africa will come only within the political kingdom not the other way round”. Dr Nkrumah argues that colonialism prevented Africa from accumulating capital, which is required to industrialise Africa and to overcome this unite and pool our resources together for our common good.

Dr Nkrumah also presents other benefits of Africa uniting such as gaining a powerful voice in the international political arena, building a strong defence to provide safety for all citizens, stopping conflicts brought about the introduction of colonial boundaries and de-tribalizing Africa, among many other reasons.

In his call for African Unity he was grounded in the ideology of Pan-Africanism. According to him, the concept of Pan-Africanism is not a racial concept although, like former President Senghor of Senegal, he insists that all Africans have something in common. He reminds his readers that Africans had similar experiences through history. Nkrumah says, “all persons of African descent have suffered political and economic exploitation, as well as social degradation, which has intensified our sense of fellowship and brotherhood”.

Even though this book was written over 5 decades ago, it is more relevant than ever. Africa is a continent at odds with itself. Though rich in natural resources, economic malaise, poverty and conflicts remains rife.

The honours lies with the young generation to take up Dr Kwame Nkrumah’s call for unity. We either unite or perish.

[Anselmo]

This book by the Africanist and political theorist Nkwame Nkrumah details the climate of the late 1950s and early 1960s characterised by the growing liberation movements and independency in Africa. In that context, Nkrumah provides a blueprint for the new African states to secure and uphold their political and economic independencies by joining forces to build an African Union that would include political unity, military unity, and foreign policy unity. The African Union is to draw examples from China and the former USSR which were able to build a unitary force that led to their industrialisation and development. The African Union was to Nkrumah an anitdote against separatism, balkanization, neolocolonism, shortshighted and corrupt African leaders, and assassination of African leaders commited to the wellbeing of their nations and continent. This book is great for early career researchers interested in Africa, development, politics, history, anthropology, science and technology, and other related fields.

[Salifu · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s a shame that this book exists and yet so much misinformation about the objective of pan-africanism is spread on a daily basis. Guys there is no reason to be ignorant when so much of what we need to know is readily available to us. Read this to understand why there is no positive path forward for Africa that does not come through political, economic and military unification. It’s literally unite or perish.

[John Timothy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Looking at the present condition in Ghana you can see that their Independent fighting fathers had for sight for independent Ghana which they have stuck to and has created major impact.
This book talked about the dangerous era and problems of colonialism, solution for independent Africa and importance of unity among African states.
This one taught me to think beyond my present environment.

[Kami 971 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Si on doit lire un seul livre sur le panafricanisme c'est celui-ci.

[Yousra · Rating 4 out of 5]

"To us, Africa with its islands is just one Africa. We reject the idea of any kind of partition. From Tangier or Cairo in the North to Capetown in the South, from Cape Guardafui in the east to Cape Verde Islands in the West, Africa is one and indivisible" <3

[bimri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Arguably the best African political writer. Not just a statesman!

[Samuel Manfe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Is a good book to read as an African citizen

[Shahira Meah]

Uni made me read it

[Eric Ampiah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just on for

[Rodney Adroni · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it.

[Faloni © · Rating 5 out of 5]

🔥🔥🔥🔥Africa Must Unite 🔥🔥🔥🔥
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7...

[Paulo Chinai]

I think it is what i was searching. powerful