Gender Empowerment is Relevant to African Future-CBAAC DG
Oru Leonard
The Acting Director General of the Centre for Black African Arts and Civilization, Mrs Ndidi Francisca Aimienwauu, has said that Gender empowerment is relevant to the African future.
Mrs Aimienwauu, said this on Monday, June 17, 2019, at Abuja during an International Conference held by CBAAC in conjunction with the University of Abuja, in Nigeria.
According to Aimienwauu, “Our choice of the chairman for this conference is to align ourselves with the wider African and our Federal Government’s agenda for more gender engagement, equality and visibility. Gender empowerment is very relevant to the African future.”
While declaring open two days conference, she called for an urgent need for a new African identity in the region and noted that the conference which has the theme: “Pan Africanism and the Forging of a new African identity in the 21st century”, was aimed to re-examine the concept of Pan-Africanism and its relevance in the 21“ century.
Aimienwauu described “Pan-Africanism as an ideology emanated during the revolutionary periods of the l950s in the Americas, it was an ideology that concerned itself with the problem of the colour line, that is, racism.
In the sixties, the concept metamorphosed and became an African based movement preoccupied with the problem of colonialism and African unity.
“Ironically, there are those who believe that following the formation of the Organization of African Union, 0AU, now the African Union, AU, that Pan-Africanism has achieved its aim and more relevant in the 21“ Century.
While there are others who also feel that with the decolonization and subsequent independence of African states, that Pan-Africanism is no longer an attractive ideological movement. Interestingly, there are also some people who believe that the aims of Pan-Africanism are far from being accomplished.
These positions notwithstanding, in our struggle for national cohesion, human dignity and social redemption, how can we usefully deploy Pan-Africanism to better the fortunes and future of Africa. For us in CBAAC, Pan-Africanism stands for racial co-existence, equality and respect for the human person.
It looks beyond the narrow confines of class, race, tribe and religion, and promotes equal opportunity for all irrespective of ideological differences”, she said.
She however noted, that with perennial conflicts, grinding poverty, hunger and disease, xenophobia, terrorism and all manners of social, cultural, economic and political challenges ravaging the continent, it becomes pertinent to ask if we have heard the last word on Pan-Africanism “or put differently, is Pan-Africanism irrelevant?
“if not, how then, do we forge, through an invigorated Afrocentric and Pan -African vision, a new African identity?”, Mrs Aimienwauu asked.
Also speaking, the Chairman of CBAAC, governing board Mr. Abom Tony Esu said, the conference will offers an opportunity to interrogate the Black and African cultural experience vis-a-vis Africa’s historical trajectory from the conception of the concept of Pan Africanism as a movement that seeks to unite Africans towards achieving a common goal of decolonization, self-government, democratization and economic growth and development, to where we are today.
“That is, What achievements have we recorded as a people? What are the drawbacks and challenges in our tortuous match to economic growth and development?”
He added that the conference will provide a platform to re-examine and review the concept and desirability of a ‘United State of Africa’, in view of the recent xenophobic and political conflicts ravaging the continent.
On her part, the Chairperson of the occasion, Dr. Mrs. Salamatu Hussaini Suleiman said the topic of the conference is important because Africa is one section of the world where people are inclined to wait for bad news. Consequently, what is good news, even when it’s extra-ordinary, becomes of little or no interest. The interest especially in the world press, about Africa is unfortunately marched by superficiality and stereotypes.
She said, “It is on this note that the topic of today’s occasion finds relevance, and I am sure that with the presence of the erudite and distinguished scholars gathered to brainstorm on the topic, the conference will come out with a clear vision of how the concept of Pan Africanism can assist in an African redemption.
Among the dignitaries that attended were: The DG of the National Council for Arts and Culture,Otunba Segun Runsewe, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs, Abike Dabiri, The Deputy Vice Chancellor Admin,University of Abuja, Professor Mohammed Sank Adams, Her Excellency, Salamatu Useni Sulaiman and international envoys.
