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Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal – Vol. 9, No. 8
Publication Date: August 25, 2022
DOI:10.14738/assrj.98.12817. Kimaro, O. P., Makokha, K., & Muhenda, J. (2022). Nkrumah and Philosophy of African Unity. Advances in Social Sciences Research
Journal, 9(8). 575-590.
Services for Science and Education – United Kingdom
Nkrumah and Philosophy of African Unity
Kimaro, Octavian P.
Kenneth Makokha
John Muhenda
ABSTRACT
This article mainly focuses on African unity as understood by Nkrumah. African
unity includes the struggle in various fields, political, social and economic.
Nkrumah’s ideas about African unity were widely defined as a sustainable political
strategy for the well-being of Africans across the continent. Such support fought
against corruption and things that hold back the development of the continent. Such
ideas also helped to develop African identity and social ideologies. The current
leaders of independent African nations should learn from the founders of African
nations due to their dreams that focused on the well-being all citizens. In the 21st
century there is a need for greater cooperation between all countries within the
African continent. What is the most important issue now is to promote African
identity. This can be done in the implementation of development goals such as
ending problems facing contemporary Africa like civil wars, poverty and
individualism.
Keywords: Kwame Nkrumah; African unity; African Identity; Contemporary African
political thoughts, Democtaric political systems, Political instability, Corruption.
INTRODUCTION
In this article we center our discussion on unity in the contemporary African political thoughts.
Majority of the democratic political systems we have in Africa have foundations from Western
political thoughts. The sense of unity in this operation is overshadowed by the number of
factors including ethnicity, regionalism, as well as the lack of capabilities to manage financial
resources. The process for identifying genuine leaders as regards to the management of
financial resources is a challenge. Not only that but also many unnecessary costs have been
incurred during political campaigns.
These western democratic political processes in Africa leads to acts of individualism,
corruption, injustice and lawlessness. Politicians struggle to enrich themselves through
corruption as it has been witnessed in many African states “Indeed, the need to finance party
competition in competitive elections has led to an explosion of grand corruption as those in
power desperately seek to ensure that they have the resources to ensure that they stay there.
The infamous cases of the Anglo-Leasing Scandal that became public in 2004 and the
Goldenberg Affair of the early 1990s are prime examples of this, illustrating how big men in
control of the executive use fictional front companies to appropriate funds for personal and
political uses1”.
1 Dan Hough, “Corruption, Anti-Corruption and Governance”, Palgrave Macmillan. Basingstoke 2013, 64.
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Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal (ASSRJ) Vol. 9, Issue 8, August-2022
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Our arguments do not only focus on how unity impression has been exercised in contemporary
Africa, but also takes a closer look at how the dynamics of the African people’s way of thinking
have impacted radically, changing the meaning and occasionally eliminating unity conception
among newly African societies.
African philosophical unity has not been considered in the recent times as much as part of the
African values. There is no significant influence shown by politicians that unity is one of the
most important elements in the history of African politics. The newly African states can still not
be as proud of the unity in politics as it once was, rather African politics at the moment seem to
be a field of conflicts, chaos for some reason which may not be constructive but destructive. The
simplest interpretation that philosophers can highlight is that current African politics seem to
be related to business interests for the few and not for the majority. The indisputable fact is that
many politicians use politics as an umbrella to help them do their own things and not to serve
their people.
African politics is currently not part of the solution to the various knots but part of the
continuation of those challenges. Politicians plan how they will share power but not how to
solve people’s problems. These upshots violate the exertion of the founders of African nations
who fought for the freedom of the people and their resources, to respect and give priority to
human dignity. Many of the good things initiated by leaders like Nkrumah of the African unity
have not yet been given a decent chance to be practiced. Part of these challenges is the lack of
ethics and commitment in serving other people.
PHILOSOPHY AND AFRICAN POLITICS
There is relationship between philosophical articulation and philosophical challenges that exist
between unity and African contemporary political thinking. Philosophy and contemporary
African politics encompass a vast area where regional differences are commonplace. There has
been a context of certain internal issues in Africa that focus on geographical factors that lead to
various conflicts of post-colonial African governments. African contemporary politics bring us
a complete circle, which shows the importance of a philosophical unity that requires struggle
and effort in achieving success. This topic emphasizes on the lives of Africans and how it is
important to unite ideologically and even practically to address various social, political and
economic issues. Through African political knowledge, axiological, and ontological structures,
Africa should insist on unity amid the world to dispel misconceptions and criticisms of the
African continent.
The unevenness of development in Africa, both political and economic, is a major problem.
Some countries are poor in natural resources; others rich. Some achieved independence
comparatively easily, and peacefully; others are still struggling. The obvious solution is unity,
so that development can be properly and cohesively planned2.
Culture and philosophical anthropology are two parallel concepts. African politics is also
embedded in the concept of liberation based on the struggle to maintain African culture. This
struggle stimulates the concept of unity in African politics directly. That is why it is important
2 Kwame, Nkrumah, Africa must unite, Frederick A. Praeger Inc. New York 1963, 53.
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Kimaro, O. P., Makokha, K., & Muhenda, J. (2022). Nkrumah and Philosophy of African Unity. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 9(8).
575-590.
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/assrj.98.12817
for Africans to know and have the habit of learning more about the cultures and fundamentals
of their societies so that they can develop and protect them.
Some of the evil actions like corruption done by today’s leaders or rather some politicians are
out of the really African identity. African development should be brought about by Africans
themselves. All things about development will be possible when Africans decide to be just, and
truly patriotic. The youth in Africa which are the largest group should have the courage to
denounce the evils that are holding back African development. “For this end Africa needs a new
type of citizen, a dedicated, modest, honest and informed man. A man who submerges self in
service to the nation and mankind. A man who abhors greed and detests vanity. A new type of
man whose humility is his strength and whose integrity is his greatness3”. Obviously a person
who cares for his/her people will always work hard to protect human dignity. This entails
standing firm against the evils in the society especially corruption which has serious negative
impact on lives of people.
CORRUPTION
Corruption and economic sabotage are part of chronic and serious problems in contemporary
Africa. There have been high levels of corruption and misconduct committed by some of African
leaders and government officials. These actions lead to extreme poverty for citizens and cause
citizens to distrust their governments. Such misconduct by government officials has created
tensions and unfriendly relations between the government and the people. Justice is lost and
selfishness is extreme, so Africa with these trends cannot bring people together socially,
economically or politically. The common belief in the legitimacy of the democratic political
system in Africa is still being questioned over its lack of clarity. It is questionable because it is
not so easy to trace where the accountability is, transparency among other democratic elements
are. It is unfortunate that “...corruption and nepotism soon prevented the building of stronger
and more effective institutions4”.
The challenge of rampart corruption is rampant in all its forms cannot be solved by self- deception, it cannot work. African society must acknowledge that corruption exists, and the
only way to solve this problem should start at the lowest level in our society gradually to the
highest level. This is the only way corruption can be fought fiercely in the community, since, it
brings serious consequences that can cost the society in the long run. It divides people and
undermines democratic and good governance. There must be systems in place that will help
the next generation to get rid of corrupt practices. In South Sudan for instance “Corruption was
a hot topic at the famous commanders’ meeting at Rumbek in late November 2004, when Salva
Kiir opposed Garang: Corruption, as a result of the lack of structures, has created a lack of
accountability which has reached a proportion that will be difficult to eradicate5”. For more
explanation in relation to that Johnson opines.
3 Kwame, Nkurumah, “Africa must unite”,130.
4 Hilde F. Johnson “South Sudan: The Untold Story from Independence to Civil War” I.B. Tauris & Co. Ltd. New York
2016, 16.
5 Hilde F. Johnson “South Sudan: The Untold Story from Independence to Civil War”, 25.