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| | UG Receives Founding President of Namibia |    | | |  The Founding President of Namibia, Dr. Sam Nujoma, has paid a courtesy call on the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana. He was received by Prof. Kwesi Yankah, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs.
In welcoming the august visitor, Prof. Yankah recounted impressions he had formed of Namibia from a book authored by his brother, Kojo Yankah. He commended Dr. Nujoma for his country’s achievements within a relatively short time after independence, as well as his interest in educating the youth. He said many Africans look on Dr. Nujoma as a “living legend”.
Dr. Nujoma, who is also Chancellor of the University of Namibia, conveyed best regards from his University to the University of Ghana and called for more exchange of information between the two institutions.
As part of his visit, Dr. Nujoma also delivered a Special Public Lecture to students and faculty of the University. The lecture which was chaired by Prof. Kwesi Yankah, was on the topic, “The Importance of Pan-Africanism in the Contemporary African Political Scene”.
Dr. Nujoma in his lecture, spoke on the mission of Pan-Africanism, saying it “seeks to unite the people of African descent under a common umbrella created by Africans and for Africans”. He quoted the renowned Pan-Africanist, George Padmore, who wrote that “Pan-Africanism looks above the narrow confines of class, race, tribe and religion”.
Dr. Nujoma drew a line between Pan-Africanism in the Diaspora and on the African continent, tracing the birth of Pan-Africanism to the founding of the African Association in London in 1897 and the subsequent convening of the Pan-African Conference in 1900 by Lawyer Henry S. Williams of Trinidad and Tobago. He said this movement was continued by George Padmore, W. E. B. du Bois and Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, first President of Ghana, inter alia, with the organisation of a series of conferences in Europe including the Manchester Conference in 1945.
Dr. Nujoma said that after 1945, Pan-Africanist activities shifted to the African continent, with the mantle being held by nationalists like Emperor Haille Selassie of Ethiopia, Gamel Nasser of Egypt, Sekou Toure of Guinea, Modibo Keita of Mali, Jomo Kenyatta of Kenya, Julius Nyerere of Tanzania, and Gen. Murtala Mohammed of Nigeria. He also applauded Patrice Lumumba of Congo, Dr. Kenneth Kaunda of Zambia, Dr. Agostinho Neto of Angola, and Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, for championing the political independence and unity of African states in the 1960s.
Other landmarks in the Pan-African struggle, he noted, were the formation of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) in May, 1963, in Ethiopia, with the mandate among others for supporting the liberation movements on the African continent, and the transformation of the OAU into the African Union (AU) in July, 2002 in South Africa, with the objective of “enhancing unity, strengthening cooperation and coordination as well as equipping the African continent with a legal and institutional framework to attain the total socio-economic integration of Africa”.
Dr. Nujoma commended the role of the Frontline States in southern Africa, including Zambia, Tanzania, Botswana, Angola, and Mozambique, as well as Nigeria and Ghana, in the liberation of Namibia in 1990 and apartheid South Africa in 1994.
Dwelling on the importance of Pan-Africanism on the contemporary scene, Dr. Nujoma stressed the need for unity, promotion of African cultures, and empowering of the youth to help rebuild Africa and put it on the road to sustainable economic development. He called particularly for the devotion of more resources by African nations to the education and training of the youth in scientific, computer, medical and engineering fields to produce specialists to harness Africa’s vast natural resources.
The lecture which was punctuated by acclamation from the audience ended with comments and questions from the floor. The Head of the Political Science Department of the University, Dr. Kwesi Jonah, the Acting Director of Public Affairs of the University, Mrs. Stella A. Amua and other members of faculty were present at the lecture.
Dr. Nujoma, 82, who was elected by the National Assembly as the first President of the Republic of Namibia in March 1990 stepped down as President in 2005. He is the recipient of several international awards including Ghana’s highest national award, “The Companion of the Order of the Star of Ghana” in 2004.
After signing the visitor’s book, the two parties later exchanged gifts.
The Registrar of the University, Mr. Joseph M. Budu and the Acting Director of Public Affairs, Mrs. Stella Amoa were part of the welcome party. Members of His Excellency Dr. Nujoma’s delegation included the Acting High Commissioner of the Republic of Namibia to Nigeria, Cleophas P. Haweenda and John A. Nauta, Senior Special Assistant in the Founding President’s Office, Office of the President of the Republic of Namibia. | | | | Date Published: 13/12/2010 | | | |   |
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