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THE SUCCESS OF THE CENTENARY PAN AFRICAN CONFERENCE
The Organising Committee Centenary Pan African Conference
25th July, 2000
CENTENARY PAN AFRICAN CONFERENCE A RESOUNDING SUCCESS
The
Centenary Pan African Conference, held at Conway Hall, Red Lion Square,
Holborn, London, England on Saturday the 22nd day of July 2000 was a resounding
success. It ended on a note of triumph with delegates "calling on
Pan Africanists and Africans every where to intensify the struggle for
Pan Africanism." This was defined in the conference resolution as
"a democratic, egalitarian, socialist Pan African Union ruled by
African Culture, in which Africa produces what it consumes and consumes
what it produces."
The Conference was attended by 126 delegates from all over the African
world - South Africa, Zimbabwe, Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo,
Nigeria, Gambia, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Ghana, Eritrea, Sudan, Egypt, the
Caribbean, USA and Europe. It was held to commemorate the first Pan African
Conference held in London in July 1900 and to set the Pan African agenda
for the 21st century.
Particular attention was paid to the family tradition within Pan Africanism.
Writer, Publisher, Margaret Busby represented the family of George F.
Christian. He was born in Dominica in the Caribbean. A Delegate to the
1900 Pan African Conference, his speech on South Africa to that historic
Conference was reported in The Times of July 26, 1900. Following that
Conference, he went to live in Ghana in 1902. Margaret read part of her
grandfather's speech to the Centenary Pan African Conference. She was
joined at the Conference reception by BBC television News Reader Moira
Stuart, another descendant of George F. Christian.
George Padmore, organiser of the historic 5th Pan African Conference held
in Manchester, England in 1945 was represented by his 74 years old daughter
Blyden Cowart and his grand daughter Lindia Blyden Randall. Speaking on
behalf of herself and her mother, Lindia told fellow delegates, "My
mother and I would like to think that George Padmore would be pleased
that you are here. For he would know that his and others' life works although
not done, are not forgotten. And for that, my mother and I thank you."
Blyden and her daughter Lindia were joined at the Conference reception
by actress Nina Baden Semper.
Kwame Nkrumah was represented at the Conference by his daughter Samia.
She registered herself, her husband and child as Conference delegates.
It was the first time that Samia, the daughter of Nkrumah met Blyden,
the daughter of Padmore. So the two legends of 1945 were reunited familially
in the 2000 Centenary Pan African Conference.
Dr. Greg Kimathi Carr of the Association For the Study of Classic African
Civilisations (USA) paid a handsome tribute to the Pan African writer
and educator C. L. R. James. He referred in particular to James' pamphlet
EVERY COOK CAN GOVERN. Other delegates paying tribute to former Pan Africanists
were Dr. Ira Phillip of Bermuda, Karl Stein who paid tribute to Henry
Sylvester Williams, organiser of the 1900 Pan African Conference; Isha
McKenzie-Mavinga paid tribute to her father Ernest McKenzie-Mavinga, a
delegate to the 1945 Manchester Congress; Lindiwe Tsele paid tributes
to Lembede, Mangaliso Robert Sobukwe and Zephaniah Mothopeng of Azania
(South Africa). Koro Sallah of Gambia paid tribute to all Pan Africanists
- past, present and future.
The highlight of the Conference was a sparkling and inspirational keynote
address given by Dr. Motsoko Pheko, Deputy President of the Pan Africanist
Congress of Azania and a member of the South African Parliament.
"The only way Africans can regain their lost power and past glory
is by relying on themselves, developing the self-confidence necessary
to control all the affairs of Africa and creating a world of interdependence,"
Dr. Pheko told delegates. "Africans can regain their lost power only
through continental unity, which Henry Sylvester Williams, the organiser
of the 1900 Pan African Conference called Pan Africanism."
He said that, "Pan Africanism is the political philosophy which Africans
must adopt, embrace and apply if Africa, the second continent in the world
with untold riches is to emerge as a world power. It is only through Pan
Africanism that a united Africa, speaking with one voice and pursuing
a bold, common policy on matters that affect all African interests can
be created."
Dr. Pheko paid handsome tributes to Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana, Patrice Lumumba
of Congo, Thomas Sankara of Burkina Faso, Maurice Bishop of Grenada and
Mangaliso Robert Sobukwe. "They were all overthrown, poisoned or
killed because they fought for the Pan African cause. But the African
struggle for control of Africa by Africans for Africans shall never be
destroyed."
He said that "Pan Africanism and Socialism were organically complimentary;
African countries must prioritise and maximise the study of modern science
and technology in all her institutions of learning; African countries
must stop exporting their raw materials; Africans must avoid "aid"
that is for the recolonisation of Africa; Africa must formulate a foreign
investment policy; Africa must build military capacity for the defence
of African interests;
Africa must increase her population; strengthen the Pan African Movement
continentally and worldwide; Africa must 'delegitimatise globalisation'
as an option for development in Africa."
In his conclusion, Dr. Pheko said that "The tragedy of life does
not lie in not reaching goals, but in not having goals to reach."
He looked forward to "a powerful United States of Africa." He
was given a standing ovation by delegates.
Cultural performances were given by Patricia Humphries of Covington, Kentucky,
USA who performed THE GHOST OF HARRIET TUBMAN; by Zebbie Todd, Nark de
Britto, Lij Sol Ujamaa, Khadijatou and Brother Kamara of Sierra Leone
and his drummers.
Lester Lewis, the Convenor of the Centenary Pan African Conference said,
"This Conference was a wonderful, splendid, successful and happy
affair. The question now is not whether there will be a Pan African Union,
but what kind of Pan African Union? All states with majority African populations
Like Cuba, Haiti, the Dominican Republic and the other Caribbean Islands
must be part of the coming Pan African Union. Just as the 1900 Conference
set the African agenda for the 20th century, so this 2000 Pan African
Conference has set the African agenda for the 21st Century."
End.
Issued by: The Organising Committee, Centenary Pan African Conference,
18
Stoke Newington Road, London N16 7XN, England.
Tel: +44 207 249 3764, e-mail: panafegal@hotmail.com
NOTICE BOARD: A report on the Centenary Pan African Conference entitled
"HOW AFRICANS CAN REGAIN THEIR LOST POWER" is being prepared
by the Organising Committee. It will contain the tributes and speeches
to the Conference plus photographs of the various aspects of the celebration
of 100 years of organised Pan Africanism.
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