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Dalton1
3485 Posts |
 Posted - 02 May 2008 : 03:18:31
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http://www.gainako.com/
Halifa To Launch Book On Pan-Africanism
Put Ideology Aside For Unity, Says Halifa Sallah
By Solo, Banjul Correspondent
A book entitled, "Treatise on Founding The Federation of African Republics,"
referred to by some as an encyclopedia on Pan Africanism, and by others
as a handbook for African Unity, democracy and development is due to
be launched on May 25, 2008 at the Paradise Suites Hotel at 3pm.
The book according to the author, Mr. Halifa Sallah, a Gambian politician
and sociologist and Pan Africanist, is currently being subjected to scrutiny
in The Gambia and abroad. Mr.Sallah who addressed a press at his office
said the objective was to give feedback on the book.
He informed journalists that the book has been launched in the Diaspora. "In UK the book was
launched at the Afro-African-Caribbean Centre in Leicester on February 23, 2008, and the launch
was attended by Gambians and other Africans in the Diaspora, among others.
Mr. Sallah told the press that following the UK launching, the Female Wing of the Swedish
Democratic Party also sponsored the launching of the book in Sweden from 10 to 17 March 2008.
"There were tremendous responses by Swedish people and Africans in the Diaspora, including
Gambians," he stressed.
He stated that copies of the book have been given to the executive, the legislature and the judiciary as
well as to many key institutions such as the University of The Gambia and revealed that the Office of
the President has acknowledged receipt of the book and has indicated that it is pertinent.
Sallah opined that the launching of the book avails opportunities to academics, policymakers and
members of civil society to critically review the book.
Mr. Sallah went on to observe that Africa is at a cross roads, and determining the way forward is the
fundamental question confronting every single African in particular and any human being in the world.
"Africa is considered to be the paradox. It is potentially the richest continent on earth, but it is
currently harbouring the poorest people in the world. 40 percent of the continent's population is living
on one dollar a day and currently one out of every ten African are potentially on the move from their
place of origin because of conflict or poverty. It is considered an achievement to many Africans to
enter into Europe which is increasingly becoming alienated from the rest of humanity, and its
immigration budgets are also increasing to keep away those in search of greener pastures," he
asserted.
He also observed that most African leaders are aiming to be defensive. "They are merely protesting
against the excesses of the dominant powers of the world. Impression is given that the future of the
continent is a hopeless one, as it contributes only 2 percent of the world trade and attracts only 1
(one) percent of foreign direct investment. He said some claim that Africa's place in the world is a
hopeless one. And that its contribution to the world economy is insignificant.
"Others compare Ghana and South Korea at independence and argued that the gap between the two
then and today is due to policy focus and development priorities. The impression given is that the only
option available is to beg others to forgive us for the debts we owe and beg them to invest on the
continent. Africa has become an object of pity or an object of mockery and laughter to others," Sallah
further observed.
Mr. Sallah further opined that redeeming Africa from what he calls, this despicable predicament,
requires an intellectual response, adding that his book falsifies claims that the African economy are
insignificant to the world economy and opined that Korea is ahead of Ghana because of its policy
initiative are all proven to be false by the book.
Mr. Sallah explained that the launching in the Diaspora was done because Pan-Africanism started in
the Diaspora. He noted that the book among others contains basic facts about Pan-Africanism,
African Unity and also touches on all other international instruments and an in-depth of the history of
Africa.
He said the people in the Diaspora attended in large numbers for different purposes, and the book
explores the different purposes by relying on Pan-African scholars who searched human history and
discovered that Africa's place in the world before colonialism was a glorious place, and the book
explored that position of Africa, and quoted scholars like Aristotle to justify what the Pan-Africanism
have concluded, that compared to other civilizations Africa had equal level of civilization or more
advanced civilization than other parts of the would. And the book is a documentary evidence of that
assertion. The book traces the history of African nationalism and exposed the fact that Africans who
were transported from different parts of the continent, states and communities did not leave a united
continent. There was no Africa as we conceive today.
"Those people who left the continent were deprived of homelands; eventually they obliterated their
own consciousness of belonging to a people belonging to a nation so that they would see themselves
as animals, as donkeys, as horses, so that they can be used in the field to toil from morning to sunset in
the service of their slave masters" Sallah said.
"But in the process of their struggle for freedom, many of them wanted to go back to the continent but
they did not know where they came from. So they saw the whole land of Africa as their homeland and
therefore began to refer their origin to Africa as a continent. Thus emerged the whole concept of an
African nation and African Nationalism.
"The book explored the whole concept of slavery. It quoted the struggles in the continent against
slavery because people in the Diaspora may blame the Africans in Africa for their predicament if they
do not fully understand what had happened.
The book therefore explains about those who were in for slavery and those who were fighting against
slave trade on the continent", Mr. Sallah stated.
Further explaining the reasons for launching the book in the Diaspora, the veteran politician, cum
sociologist highlighted that, "his book explains about slavery and the abolition of slave trade, and
struggles taken in the Caribbean against slavery making it impossible for the slave masters to benefit
from slavery. After the abolition of slavery the slave masters needed commodities for the
manufacturing houses and therefore slavery was replaced by colonialism.
So the Africans in the Diaspora who were struggling to return to the continent, all of a sudden
discovered that they don't have a homeland to return to because their lands had been taken. This is
what gave rise to their struggle to make so that Africa is liberated. They began to hold congresses
towards liberating Africa.
"The struggle for African liberation of the African continent, self-determination and independence
started in the Diaspora. This is why the book was launched in the Diaspora out of that struggle
emerged independent nations," Mr. Sallah stated, adding that the book tries to address the question
why Africa is still in the stage we are.
"It shows the thinking of the Pan-Africanists at the beginning and their suggestions and proposals; how
they shaped the universal declaration of human rights; how they shaped the United Nations charters;
how they shaped many instruments in the world without many people knowing; said Mr. Sallah.
Further explaining about his book and Pan-Africanism, Mr. Sallah also highlighted that the book
shows that the whole concept of democracy has been perpetuated by the Pan-Africanists while the
colonialists were opposing it, and documentations were given. So as he suggests, democracy also has
a weapon of empowering the people and should not be seen as a product imported from Europe by
the Pan-Africanists.
"It is important to reflect on what happened immediately after independence and why people like
Nkrumah started calling for the total unification of the continent so that our resources will be put
together; so that we can have an African central Bank, African investment Bank, an African Monetary
Fund so that we can have powerful African institutions which can combat the dominant positions of
the trading blocks and the currency blocks of other continents. But all that could not be realize, he
said.
"The book also he said, has explained all efforts that were made up to the founding of the OAU and
explains all the policies and programmes that emanated from that, and showed how Africa because of
its division, because of its micro-states, began to move backward, instead of addressing the issues of
liberty, dignity and prosperity.
"The book has shown that what Nkrumah has said is what is happening right now," he asserted.
Everywhere in Africa, our economies are crumbling, our treasuries are getting empty, we are
becoming client states, and none of us can stand alone. We will remain in that condition until we take
the economy and political destiny in our own hands" Mr. Sallah said, quoting Nkrumah.
He further said the book falsifies people who are trying to say that Nkrumah said the political kingdom
and everything else will come", but that he (Nkrumah) did not take into consideration the economies
and all other issues of that nature. He however argued that perhaps they did not read African history
and they have not read what had happened immediately after independence.
Mr. Sallah further quoted Nkrumah as saying, "we will remain in that condition until we take the
political and economic condition of Africa in our own hands."
Africa has common market of 300 million and now the total population of Africa is 800 million
producers and consumers he said should have the productivity, purchasing and bargaining power
equal to any of those trading and currency blocks which now rule the commerce of the world.
"Who is there to oppose or frustrate us if we have all the courage to form an All-African union
congress? Can the industrialized nations do without our coppers, uranium? Iron, bauxite, cotton,
groundnuts, coffee etc, or will they come running to us as we have been running to them for trade on
equitable terms? He asked.
"So what this is emphasizing is that we have answers to Africa's problems, and in the launching, those
answers will be given, he promised. He argued that the book is not simply lamenting or protesting
against the West, or simply blaming the colonialists, but that it explains the role that colonialism has
played and has also shown the failure of African countries to unite, contributing to the current
predicament. It goes to show the various programmes; that every time Africa is faced with a crisis they
come with programmes, such as the Lagos programme, the Abuja treaty, ultimately the creation of the
African union, with NEPAD's creation, the limitation of NEPAD as a programma tic document to
address Africa's problems and proposed concretely what should be done in order to be able to have
a programme that can be able to address the needs and aspirations of the people.
"The book does not only highlight problems but also gave solutions, and it goes stage by stage to
show that if we are really serious about African unity and development, the stages that should be
followed to achieve it," Sallah posited.
He explained that the purpose of the press conference was not to go in detail regarding what is in the
book but that the book was launched in Europe and it was well received, not only by Africans but
also by people who understand that the world is a common bond; that economies are tied together;
Europe depends on Africa for many of its goods they consume daily on their family table." Therefore if
our farmers cannot produce, then what happens to the world prices?" He asked.
He further added, "So there is absolutely no doubt that the world is interlinked and production by the
farmers are very crucial for food consumption, for food prices, and for the survival of people, not only
for people in Africa, Asia, but also in Europe".
"So it is fundamentally necessary for these people to realize that on their side, if we become poorer
and poorer and cannot consume their goods, their industries will not be able to have markets and they
will close down and their banks will not be able to have interest and they will close down.
"So in that regard poverty will visit Europe just as it is haunting Africa on the current circumstances.
So it is a common destiny and they realized that. They realized that the same policies that were
adopted on the continent in moving from solutions to problem and simply allowing the market to
control everything is creating a problem on that side of the World just as it is creating problem on our
side. So we have a common destiny and they appreciate the contribution of this book towards
understanding their own problems. And the book is opposing International Conferences where we
look at the currency blocks, the trading blocks and the cause of the problems that we are now, in
terms of international trade, finance, and look for a common solution that will create equitable relations
between Africa and the rest of the world that will reposition the African continent."
"The book emphasizes the need for Africans to put aside ideologies and make so we remove it from
the ring of systems, and transform it to a practical systems for articulating relevant policies,
programmes and projects to ensure and enhance democracy, liberty, dignity and prosperity in the
continent.
He emphasizes that the fundamental issue raised by the book teaches on the first, second and third
phases of Pan-Africanism and the Third phase comes with the sober assertions of the sovereignty of
the people. That is the phase we are in now, where the people must take control of the destiny of the
third nation, and therefore create the possibility of governments uniting to serve the common interest of
the people. He concluded that the book has therefore emphasized that any generation which fails to
build a society which its children are proud to inherit is a failed generation and as he argued it is duty
of every generation to hand over to its children, and grand children a better society than it has
inherited, he stressed.
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"There is no god but Allah (SWT); and Muhammad (SAW)is His last messenger." shahadah. Fear & Worship Allah (SWT) Alone! (:
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kayjatta
2978 Posts |
Posted - 02 May 2008 : 07:13:00
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"If a man can write a better book, or preach a better sermon than his neighbor, even if he build his house in the woods, the world will make a beaten path to his door", Ralph Waldo Emmerson.
Good job Mr. Sallah. |
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Janko
Gambia
1267 Posts |
Posted - 02 May 2008 : 12:10:06
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quote:
Halifa To Launch Book On Pan-Africanism.....
... "So in that regard poverty will visit Europe just as it is haunting Africa on the current circumstances. So it is a common destiny and they realized that. ...And the book is opposing International Conferences where we look at the currency blocks, the trading blocks and the cause of the problems that we are now, in terms of international trade, finance, and look for a common solution that will create equitable relations
between Africa and the rest of the world that will reposition the African continent."
Point of observation: And the book is proposing....... |
Clean your house before pointing a finger ... Never be moved by delirious Well-wishers in their ecstasy |
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shaka
996 Posts |
Posted - 02 May 2008 : 15:10:03
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Janko how do you weave your magic around this one from the Daily Observer's Big Read in regards to Mohammad Ali: "Him dances like a butterfly and thinks like a bee" |
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Janko
Gambia
1267 Posts |
Posted - 02 May 2008 : 21:01:55
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quote:
Originally posted by shaka
Janko how do you weave your magic around this one from the Daily Observer's Big Read in regards to Mohammad Ali: "Him dances like a butterfly and thinks like a bee"
Shaka,
The Observer jungle rambling is beyond my comprehension ……one thing though; an empty bottle may possibly be filled up with any liquid, water, or oil, or milk, or…… (Not to stray from the topic) |
Clean your house before pointing a finger ... Never be moved by delirious Well-wishers in their ecstasy |
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shaka
996 Posts |
Posted - 02 May 2008 : 23:56:37
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| Are you leaning towards KANA(the drink that made legends out of many Gambians)?. Sorry to stray from the topic, i just could not resist this one. |
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Janko
Gambia
1267 Posts |
Posted - 03 May 2008 : 00:19:23
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quote:
Originally posted by shaka
Are you leaning towards KANA(the drink that made legends out of many Gambians)?. Sorry to stray from the topic, i just could not resist this one.
I could not understand why that was published. You are right, one wonders what the Observer was on. |
Clean your house before pointing a finger ... Never be moved by delirious Well-wishers in their ecstasy |
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kayjatta
2978 Posts |
Posted - 03 May 2008 : 00:28:38
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quote:
Originally posted by Janko
[quote]Halifa To Launch Book On Pan-Africanism.....
... "So in that regard poverty will visit Europe just as it is haunting Africa on the current circumstances. So it is a common destiny and they realized that. ...And the book is opposing International Conferences where we look at the currency blocks, the trading blocks and the cause of the problems that we are now, in terms of international trade, finance, and look for a common solution that will create equitable relations
between Africa and the rest of the world that will reposition the African continent."
Janko, I think that word (opposing)is a typographical error. It probably should have been [b]Proposing[/b |
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Dalton1
3485 Posts |
Posted - 03 May 2008 : 14:25:05
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Bros. Kay & Janko,
The typographical error is 'laughey-taphey.'
Rightly put: The correct word should be PROPOSING.
Where and how in this world of Halifa Sallah will his book oppose international conferences? That will be beyond humor and beyond us.
I got the day's humor out of it. Humor is good and it heals these face muscles of ours. If you would readers, please forgive the typos. It reminds me of this Sarahulle man (my jovial cousin) who couldn't speak arabic well. After his morning prayer, he was supplicating to God in arabic to be granted heaven, wealth, love, family (wives, sons & daughters), et cetera....unfortunately for him, he was putting everything in the negative. Can anyone guess what happened to his request?
A prayer to God is answered in every language, not necessarily a particular one...of preference. That much I would think. 'Inna mal amal bi-niyat..." which according the strong narations of the hadiths interpretes, "deeds are judged according to their intentions."
Regards,
Dalton |
"There is no god but Allah (SWT); and Muhammad (SAW)is His last messenger." shahadah. Fear & Worship Allah (SWT) Alone! (:
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Edited by - Dalton1 on 03 May 2008 14:38:50 |
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