“In the Interest of Our Destiny”

Interview with Professor Atukwei Okai conducted June 23, 2007 in Accra, Ghana following an address by the Professor to the “Continental Conference on Accelerating Africa’s Integration and Development in the 21st century” organized by the Ghanaian Civil Society AU Coalition.

Professor Atukwei Okai is a widely published author and acclaimed poet. He is Secretary-General of the Pan African Writer’s Association (PAWA). This interview was conducted by Selome Araya for the AU-Monitor.

Selome Araya: What are the first steps that need to be taken in order to have a continental African government?

Professor Okai: The first factors to be reckoned are political will and political vision. Having political vision is having an understanding that this is in the interest of our destiny. Having political will has to do with the capacity of our leaders to realize and recognize the unique historical significance that attaches to the stage that the African people have come to in their effort to effect a self-determination.

Selome Araya: Why is it important to have a United States of Africa?

Professor Okai: Because we shall by that be empowering ourselves to successfully confront and overcome the challenges that our facing us now, and those that will continue to face us; especially because of the swiftly changing nature of the 21st century. It is only within the context of a continental African government that we will be able as a people, powerfully endowed by all-mighty God, to take charge of our heritage, our resources, and our creative energies, to deploy them for the good of the common man in Africa. It will also bring a better level of life for every African citizen and for every sector of the African society. It will empower our businessmen and it will render goods affordable for our people. We will also be able to exploit the benefits that volumes of production can engender because we shall have one economic space. Speaking as a writer, it needs to be understood that, for instance, a book of mine that is published in Ghana today may only produce 2,000 or 5,000 copies. But when we have a continental African government, a published book of mine will command the total English language market, and therefore the publisher can venture out on a production of 50,000-100,000, which will automatically guarantee a very low pricing. That is economic empowerment.

Selome Araya: Why is it essential to include the African Diaspora in the government being proposed in Africa?

Professor Okai: Because it is the one unique blessing that the African people by their history are entitled to take advantage of. When the African Union finally recognizes the Diaspora as the 6th region of Africa, and a continental African Government duly includes this entity, the African fortunes will be limitless because we shall be speaking of and benefiting from the dispensation of a global Africa-Africa of the mainland and Africa of the Diaspora. It will result in a pooling of resources, human capital, creative energies, new insights, and a super cultural explosion that will all form the core of the Africa personality. It is a spiritual demand for the conscience of all Africans that mainland Africa should in its entirety fully and warmly embrace the Diaspora Africans. Our people must come to terms with our history in order to ensure the evolvement of a dignifying destiny.

Selome Araya: How do you think the AU will incorporate the civil society organization’s (CSO’s) recommendations and concerns into its formal policies?

Professor Okai: I suspect this submission will be handed over to a special committee of the AU to study and bring recommendations.

Selome Araya: How can civil society organizations be more involved in the process?

Professor Okai: CSO’s need to make sure that they are well informed regularly of what is going at the level of the AU within Africa and within the world. And, these gathered insights should be consciously and carefully disseminated to all related bodies and organizations. CSO’s should continue to hold hands, exchange ideas and share inspirations.

Selome Araya: What should be the first order of business of a unified African government?

Professor Okai: There are certain things that will naturally happen, but first the government needs to be born. And when it is born, straight-away it will be a matter of security, defense, foreign affairs, human resource management, economy, agriculture, education, and health, in this order. If I were in charge that is the order in which things would be done.

Selome Araya: What is the importance of a common African citizenship?

Professor Okai: That is the only reason I am fighting for an African government. There will be no visas, no borders. And you will be just like a citizen of the United States of America or of Australia.

Selome Araya: People take such pride in being (Congolese, Nigerian, Ethiopian, etc.). Would people be willing to give up national identity?

Professor Okai: They wouldn’t have to give it up. They will keep their nationality, and be African citizens. They would be Congo African!

Selome Araya: Why is African unity imperative for the success of the African continent?

Professor Okai: The power of Africa as one country will come from the diversity of our climates, our products, our vegetations, our foods, our music, our language, and our culture. We would have everything. There-in lays our power. A united African government will give aid to the world, and not the other way around anymore. The Pan-African Writers Association therefore, is engaged in getting this type of awareness to our people, because the pen is really powerful. After the union government is established, we will need to have the minds of our people worked up on and enlightened, conscientized of an awareness of our new African-ness, into a state of fuller confidence as Africans who would have come into their own in their kingdom come.

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