Africa Day is a worldwide celebration of culture, which fosters self-respect and overall respect for Africa.
Africa
is a rich continent inhabited by poor people. Africa faces massive challenges,
including extreme poverty, illness, desertification, malnutrition and ongoing conflict.
Extreme poverty together with lack of access to basic education, health care
and adequate nutrition continues to prevent millions of talented, promising
young people in Africa from fulfilling their potential. Africa Day is a call to
action for diverse people and organizations to promote the movement for Africa
and her bright future.
History of Africa Day
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| Ghana became the first African country south of the Sahara to gain independence |
After
the World War II, the process of decolonization of the African continent
gathered momentum as Africans increasingly advocated for political rights and
independence. While in other parts of the continent colonial powers reluctantly
and grudgingly relinquished power, in other parts African people launched long-drawn-out
struggles against the obstinate colonial powers. Between 1945 and 1965 a significant
number of African countries gained independence from European colonial powers.
Ghana
became the first African country south of the Sahara to gain independence on
March 6, 1957. Its independence served an inspiration to other African
countries struggling against colonial rule and as a result, Ghana occupied a
central role in the struggle against colonial rule. By 1958, there were only
eight African countries that were independent from colonial rule. The year 1960 witnessed the independence
of 17 Sub-Saharan African countries and 14 French colonies.
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| Women of Africa |
Just
over a year after its independence, Ghana under the leadership Kwame Nkrumah
convened the first Conference of Independent African States on April 15, 1958.
The conference became the first Pan African conference held on the African continent
bringing together various African countries and called for the observance of
African Freedom Day once a year, to mark the onward progress of the liberation
movement, and to symbolize the determination of the People of Africa to free
themselves from foreign domination and exploitation.
As
a result, April 15 was enacted African Freedom Day or Africa
Liberation Day, and this marked the beginning of what would later be known as
Africa Day.
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| Men and children of Africa |
On May 25, 1963 the Organization of African Unity (OAU), 32
independent African states signed the founding charter in Addis Ababa,
Ethiopia. In 2002, the OAU became the African Union.
It
is important to note the Brazzaville conference began the discussion of French
decolonization and approved the legal ending of the native code or the Code de
l'indigénat.
The native code was a set of laws assigning an inferior legal
status for African natives of French Colonies. The 1944 Brazzaville conference
started the ball rolling for the year 1960 independence of 17 Sub-Saharan
African countries and 14 French colonies.
