Gainako Newspaper

News reaching Gainako confirmed the death of veteran politician and
founder of the National Convention Party (NCP) Mr. Sheriff Mustapha
Dibba. He is believed to have died of a stroke.

People who were closed to the late political icon namely one Mr.
Bakary Krubally spoke high of a principled man; with high regard and
respect. "You won't know who sheriff was until you are around him.
"Mr. Krubally's voice faded in a mourning tone. "His political struggle
ended now and he shall rest." Another caller noted.

Sheriff Mustapha Dibba is a veteran Gambian politician who served as the country's National
Assembly speaker from 2002 to 2006. He is also leader of the National Convention Party (NCP).

Dibba was The Gambia's first vice-president. He resigned from that position in 1975 and later formed
the National Convention Party (NCP). Following elections in 1977, the NCP became the main
opposition party in the Gambia.

He was incarcerated in 1981 for alleged involvement in the foiled coup attempt that year, but was
freed after 11 months in detention. A presidential election was held on 4 May 1982, months after a
constitutional amendment instituting direct election of the country's head of state. Dibba was defeated
by incumbent President Dawda Jawara. He ran again as the NCP presidential candidate in 1987 and
1992, placing second to Jawara both times.

Following the overthrow of the Jawara government in 1994, the NCP and other political parties were
banned. The ban on the NCP was lifted in mid-2001 and Dibba contested the election held on 18
October of that year. He was defeated by incumbent President Yahya Jammeh and placed fourth out
of five candidates, winning 3.8% of the vote.

Dibba then gave his support to Jammeh and his party, the Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and
Construction, (APRC) and after the legislative elections of January 2002, he was elected Speaker of
the National Assembly at the first meeting of the new legislature on 3 February.

In April 2006, Dibba was arrested and dismissed as speaker; he was allegedly linked to the coup
attempt against Jammeh in the previous month. Dibba and the NCP nevertheless backed Jammeh in
the September 2006 presidential election; Dibba himself was over 65 years old by this time and was
therefore not eligible to run.

Tributes has been flooding in Gambian forums and other places of discussions. News papers e-mails
and phones are heavly being contacted, many of whom expressed shock and sympathy over the sad
news that ended the one time heavy weight politician, famous for his name, time and struggle.

In a similar development, Mr. Dibba's family members in Minneapolis, Minnesota (USA) wish to
notify the general public that a prayer session will be held for the Late Mr. S.M. Dibba on Sunday
June 8th 2008 at 5.00pm CT in Minneapolis.

......................Letters from our Readers
............PLEASE EXTEND MY GRATITUDE TO IMAM AMADOU KANTEH
Dear editor, please extend my gratitude to Imam Kanteh for his recent comment on the
homosexuality issue. I made similar reference on what ALLAH, condemned the people of prophet lot
for; who were practising this same kind of abomination in (SURAH AS-ASURA): "Do you approach
males among the worlds, and leave what your Lord Has created for you as mates? But you are a
people transgressing." Qur'an Surah As'shu'ra: verse 165-166.

So the Qur'an is absolutely clear on this issue. Some people might have thought that the Qur'an
touches the issue only by references on the Hadith. No! The Holy Book is absolutely clear on its
condemnation for homosexuality.Allah cited the destruction He brought upon the people of Lot, who
were practising this evil and immoral act. The above verse in Surah: As Shu'ra is as clearly as crystal
ball on its condemnation of the act. Again, I thank Imam Kanteh for his comments. May Allah guide
the whole Ummah and prevent and protect us from this creeping vices, that has polluted the west, its
people and its religion. Islam is a honorable Religion and Allah Willing, this abomination shall never be
tolerated to creep into Muslim Lands. May Allah guide us and make those who are lost to atleast have
eyesight and refrain from their evil indulgences.

Jazha Kha Allahu Khairan to all the Ummah. Wa Salam.

Bro.TAMSIR GAYE.
MARYLAND U.S.
..Imam Kanteh Speaks Against
........Homosexual Act
........................................................June 2nd, 2008
I Imam Amadou Kanteh of Raleigh, North Carolina, USA fully supports
the President Yahya Jammeh for condemning homosexuals in the Gambia
because it is a sinful act and a disease that affect the whole society.

In the Name of Allah, the most Gracious, most Merciful.
All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon
His Messenger.

Dear brothers and sister of Islam our utmost wish is just for all of us to
adhere to the teachings of this great religion which came to save mankind
from the peril of succumbing to the material life, to rescue them from
darkness of following whims and self inclinations to the light of guidance and eternal prosperity.

"An increasing number of people are becoming homosexuals either gays or lesbians in different parts
of the world. The former refers to the perverted sexual relationship between man and man while the
latter is the title for women practicing sex with women. This is, however, not a new phenomenon; what
is new is the attempt of those people who have been considered all the time as outcasts and perverts,
to assert their identity and force the rest of the people to recognize and accept them and their
relationships as natural ones.

As this is becoming an increasingly dangerous issue, it is indeed important to clarify the attitude of
Islam towards homosexuality.

In both the Qur'an and the Bible, we are told that the first people who started this habit on a national
scale were the people of Lot in the old city of Sodom which used to occupy the area where the Dead
Sea now exists. (See Genesis 19). Let us concentrate on what the Glorious Qur'an says about these
people:

In surat ash-Sh`ara', we read: 'The people of Lot rejected the messengers. Their brother Lot said to
them: 'Will you not fear God? I am to you a messenger worthy of all trust. So fear God and obey me.
No reward do I ask of you for it. My reward is only from the Lord the of worlds. Of all the creatures
of the world will you approach males, and leave those whom God has created for you as mates? Nay.
You are people transgressing all limits.' They said: 'If you desist not O Lot, you will surely be cast
out!'. He said: 'I do detest your doings. O my Lord! Deliver me and my family from such things as
they do.' So we delivered him and his family, all except an old woman who lingered behind. The rest
we destroyed utterly. We rained down on them a shower; and evil was the shower on those who
were admonished.' (Ash-Sh`ara': 160-173)

The Qur'an also says: 'And Lot who said to his people: 'Do you do what is indecent though you see its
iniquity? Would you really approach men in your lusts rather than women? You are a people grossly
ignorant.' His people gave no answer but this: 'Drive out the followers of Lot from our city. They are
indeed men who want to be clean and pure.' But we saved him and his family except his wife: We
destined her to be of those who lagged behind. And we raked down on them a shower: and evil was
the shower on those who were admonished.' (An-Naml: 54-58)

Then in surat Hud, we read: 'When our messengers came to Lot, he was grieved on their account and
felt himself powerless to protect them. He said: 'This is a distressful day.' His people came rushing
towards him and they had been long in the habit of practicing abominations. He said: 'O my people!
Here are my daughters: they are purer for you (if you marry). Now fear God and cover me not with
disgrace about my guests! Is there not among you a single tight-minded man?' They however said:
'You know very well we have no need of your daughters. Indeed you know quite well what we want'.
He said: 'Would that I had power to suppress you or that I could betake myself to some powerful
support'. (The angels) said: 'O Lot! We are messengers from your Lord! By no means shall they reach
you. Now travel with your family while yet a part of the night remains, and let not any of you look
back; but your wife, to her will happen what will befall them. Morning is their appointed time. Is not
the morning near'. When our decree issued we turned the cities upside down, and rained down on
them brimstones hard as baked clay, spread layer on layer, marked from your Lord. Nor are they
ever far from those who do wrong." (Hud 11: 77-83)

Let us see now how the Bible depicts this incident. In Genesis 18, Abraham intercedes for Sodom
and the Lord accepts his intercession. Then God destroys Sodom and Gomorrah as in Genesis 19.
From these texts we notice that both scriptures (the Qur'an and the Bible) mention that Lot, the
Prophet and Messenger of God, advised his people to stop this habit and to return to the natural
relationship with their wives. Instead they threatened to expel him and those who followed his advice.
According to the Qur'an, Prophet Lot neither despaired nor gave up. He continued to warn his people
against this crime of theirs. He faced a lot of hardships. They began to comment sarcastically that he
tried and his followers to be pure. Even his wife was inclined towards them. When these people
turned deaf ears to Prophet Lot's call, both sides were put to the test. Almighty Allah sent down a
group of angels in form of attractive young men. These angels first entered unto Lot as guests.

As soon as his wife saw them, she immediately told her people about them. They rushed to practice
their abominations against the guests. Lot reminded his people once again to refrain from this and not
make a scandal for him and his guests. As a matter of fact, until this point of time Lot took the guests
for ordinary human beings. To his surprise and relief they told him that they were the Messengers of
God and that no harm will be caused to him. He even defended his guests physically; but when every
attempt to stop them completely failed, Allah sent His punishment from Heaven. The city was turned
upside down and brimstone rain was sent against them so that they all perished along with Lot's wife,
their collaborator.

The Glorious Qur'an makes the following comment after this tragedy took place. It says: 'Such a
punishment is not far from the unjust ones.' (Yunus: 83), which means that the same fate will happen
to those who commit this injustice.

We are also told in the Qur'an that Lot's people used to practice this same sex relationship in public.
They saw no harm in looking at each other while doing this. They claimed that it is beyond the
capacity or human beings to be pure or clean in this area.

Part of the Qur'anic perspective of the universe is that Allah Almighty controls everything in this world.
Being the Creator of life and death, He is also the Sovereign and the legislator. He sends messengers
to different peoples from among themselves who are role models as well as conveyers of His message
to them. If they listen and obey, this is for their own good in this world and the next. Whatever Allah
permits is everything that is good, pure and healthy; and whatever He prohibits us to do, it is also for
our own sake. This is how the Ever-Glorious Qur'an looks at this issue of homosexuality. It is against
human nature; it is harmful to man and it betrays one basic goal of sex, namely: procreation within the
limits of marriage only. That is why it is prohibited to practice homosexuality.

It is really sad to remark here that while the Bible condemns homosexuality, it ascribes to Lot, the
Prophet of Allah and His Messenger, that he was given wine by his two daughters and that he
committed incest with each of them in the cave to which they resorted. This, the Bible says, took place
on two consecutive nights! (See Genesis 19). How can this be said about Allah's Prophets and their
daughters? This is not; however, strange for those who are familiar with the present version or rather
versions of the Bible. David, the well-known Prophet and King of Israel, is accused of committing
adultery with the wife of Uriah, a military commander of his. Several other crimes are also attributed to
sons and daughters of Allah's Prophets.

In the Qur'an, however, we find the image of all Prophets of Allah to be the best images of obedient
slaves of the Almighty. In sura Al-Anbiyaa verse 73 and after, we have the following description of
Lot as well as other Prophets: 'And we made them leaders, guiding (men) by our command; We
inspired them to do good deeds, establish regular prayers, and to give alms. They constantly
worshipped Us.'

Not only has this but the Qur'an specifically described Lot as follows:

Two more points deserve our attention. One is that Islam does not consider sex as a sinful 'And to
Lot, too, We gave wisdom and knowledge; We saved him from the town which practiced
abominations. Truly they were a people given to evil, a rebellious people. And We admitted him to
Our mercy; for he was one of the righteous.' (Al-Anbiya':74-75)deed. It does not look down on this
human instinct. On the contrary, it considers it to be rewarding by Allah provided that it is practiced
within the limits of marriage. On this the Prophet of Islam says: 'He who gets married has acquired one
half of his faith, so let him fear Allah in the other half.'

The second point is that the present Bible reports a number of sexual crimes attributed falsely to
Prophets, Messengers of Allah and their children. Not only are this but crimes of incest said to be
committed by Prophets with their own daughters as we mentioned earlier. On the other hand, there
are passages of pornography in the Bible that escaped the attention of religious censors. Take the
Song of Songs by Solomon. You cannot imagine these passages to be part of a Divine scripture. It is
time that the Bible itself be purified from all these falsehoods before purifying the actual lives of the
people."

Imam Amadou Kanteh
North Carolina, USA

.........................................................OPINION
...The Problem with Halifa
.....Sallah's Idea and Book
.........................By The Watchman................May 31st, 2008
Kudos to Solo, Gainako's excellent correspondent from Banjul. His
recap of the legendary Halifah Sallah's book, Treatise on Founding a
Federation of African Republics, is elucidating and inspiring as far as
the ideal of African unity is concerned. There's no denying Mr. Sallah's
place of honor in the political development of The Gambia is solid.
There is a drawback, however, to the main theme of his new tome, an
African federation, because it is posited on archaic ideas that have been
espoused by so-called African leaders who have failed miserably to
deliver on their much vaunted promises.

First, the notion of an African federation ignores the gross under development of African sovereign
entities. Insufficient political sophistication eventually leads to the failure of federations as exemplified
by the demise of the Senegambia confederacy in 1989 and the laughable union of Nigerian states that
has resulted in 1 brutal civil war, many years of military rule to hold the federation of states together
and embarassing economic failure in light of that nation's natural riches.

Second, Mr. Sallah's wishes are in dire contrast to Africa's daunting realities especially where
differences are concerned. There are major religious divides between North African and Eastern
states which are mostly Islamist, West African states which fall in between and southern African states
which are mostly Christian. The increasing hardcore desire of some Muslim clerics in some states to
institute Sharia law, the heightened tensions between Christians and Muslims in Nigeria and other
places and the implications of which laws to follow in states with significant minority populations who
resist any resorting to laws other than secular ones will prove to be nightmarish challenges to the
federation of African states were it to come into existence.

Another crucial stumbling block will be the oft troublesome tribal and internecine feuds that have had a
long running prominence in African history. Failed states like Somalia will never get to have
comprehensive and united representation at an African federation parliament. One can imagine what
the maligned clans and groups will do to their rivals if it is perceived they are not being heard out.
What about Burundi? Will the rebels see the federation of African states as an unbiased arbiter in their
simmering feud with the seat of power in Bujumbura? Better yet, will states with oppressive policies
toward tribal minorities harken to the commands or recommendations of a united African federation
and agree to arbitration? If the UN or the useless AU have not proven successful, who says the
African federation will pull it off?

As iconoclastic as this view might seem, the truth is Mr. Halifah Sallah's role models are failures
through and through when the immediate post-colonial leadership of Africa is objectively examined.
Kwame Nkrumah failed to harness Ghana's mineral and intellectual wealth during his tenure and was
eventually dismissed in 1966. The fault was entirely his. No sentimentality will replace the fact that he
erred in judging the changing times and the urgent need to reform a colonial strucutre that didnt serve
its previous African subjects. Gamal Abdel Nasser took Egypt down the road to war with Israel and
caused great pain and havoc to his proud nation. His only visible legacy is the Aswan dam. What
about Kenneth Kaunda, Siaka Stevens, all paragons of Pan Africanism? Where have they led us? We
need new, better role models for African progress and I'm not talking about Thabo Mbeki or Nelson
Mandela either.

Implicitly or perhaps overtly, Mr. Halifah Sallah's treatise seems to be inspired by the creation of a
European Union that has thrived to the point where ex-Soviet satelites like Bulgaria , the Czech
Republic and Poland are now members, after years of coveting EU acceptance. The comparisons
between African potential for unity versus actual European oneness are ill advised. While the concept
of African unity is a post-colonial ideal, European unity has been in the works since the reign of
Charlemange king of the Franks who ruled from 746 to 814 AD. While Europe has undergone years
of violence political upheaval and economic revolution, Africa's experience in these two spheres is
relatively thin. Moreover, Africa has not yet developed the economic heft nor the military infrastructure
to enforce the rules, prestige and might of an African federation the way the EU has to the point of
being on par with the US (at least economically). To accelerate the progress to total union of African
states in federation form will no doubt yield unwanted consequences.

Finally, with the numerous tragedies, disgraces, and failures of the OAU and now the numerous
tragedies, disgraces and failures of the AU, what makes Mr. Sallah so blindly optimistic? In any case,
I admire and share his love and intensity for the looming greatness of Africa. I am only a little more
cynical and maybe too gun shy where I could have shown more resolve. I hope Mr. Sallah proves me
wrong.

Author can be reached at gambiaswatchman@gmail.com

.....Public Announcement:
..The Watchman Launches a Blog on Less Industrialized Nation Matters
Dear Pa and GON editors:
First I want to thank Freedomnewspaper and Gainako for giving me mostly unfettered and
unrestricted liberty to contribute my humble opinions on the political and economic fate of The
Gambia. Your very generous and highly professional approach to making sure that all voices are heard
and that various solutions are considered and implemented in steering the course of our beloved
republic gives me and all others concerned hope that the journalistic trade in so far as The Gambia is
concerned has indeed evolved and despite its growing pains, will succeed in sowing the everlasting
seeds of democracy and prosperity for all.

From here on out, I will maintain a blog that covers not only Gambian matters but all so called Third
World issues that are of the utmost import. I will still continue to contribute to Freedomnewspaper and
Gainako in light of their excellent permissive policy vis-a-vis allowing a contribution to be published
even if it roils the feelings and shakes the sensitivity of other parties. This is what true freedom of the
press entails and I am ever so grateful for the opportunity to have made my voice heard. My e-mail
will continue to be the same. The new blog address is: http://watchmansreport.wordpress.com/

Thanks to All,
The Watchman.
.........................................................NEWS
PRESIDENT JAMMEH�S THROWING OF
BISCUITS CAUSES ACCIDENT; KILLS
ONE AND HOSPITALIZED TWO OTHERS
..........................By Solo, Banjul correspondent.....May 29th, 2008
One youth killed and two others hospitalized is the result of the
accident caused by the president�s convoy on Saturday near the
Tabokoto junction on the main Brikama High way at about 8pm.

The accident occurred when the president on arrival at the place
threw a packet of biscuits which landed on the tar road instead of
off the road. This reporter was in a vehicle which was going towards
Tabokoto junction and found a vehicle that appears to be like a state
house vehicle standing and surrounded by a group of people. He
then alighted from his vehicle to find out what had happened. He
discovered that the victims of the accident had already been
evacuated to the RVTH hospital in Banjul. He could however see
blood stains everywhere.

The reporter then spoke to an elderly woman named Binta who said she was an eye witness to the
accident. Asked whether the accident was not serious, she said it was very fatal and went further to
explained that by the time the president was throwing his biscuits when his convoy arrived at the place
but one packet dropped on the road which the youths raced to get. She said the youths did not know
that another speeding vehicle was coming behind them; that before they realized that, that vehicle had
already caught with them which hit all the three of them. She said she observed one to have been
dead, the other was crying and calling her mother and saying that she is dying while blood was
dripping from his body and head. She said the third was not talking but has signs of life.

This reporter made some effort to verify whether the youths are at the RVTH and discovered that one
of them had died on the spot as narrated by the elderly woman and was sent directly to the mortuary.
He has also found out that the two are hospitalized with very serious injuries. The two are seen to be
recovering at the time of going to press.

Rumour also has it that a similar accident occurred in Basse which took the lives of two people but
this could not be independently verified. Many people wonder why the president�s convoy move with
such a high speed especially when in town and the president is throwing biscuits.

.............THE BOOK
TREATISE ON FOUNDING A FEDERATION OF AFRICAN
REPUBLICS, (FAR) LAUNCHED: 2016 Set For Africa�s Unification
...........................By Solo, Banjul correspondent.....May 29th, 2008
The Launching of the Book �Treatise on Founding a Federation of
African Republics; (FAR) took place at the paradise Suites on Sunday
25th May 2008 with the objective to also mark the African Liberation
Day celebrations,(A.L.D).

The launching attracted over a thousand people from across the country
including Pan Africanists in the Diaspora, religious leaders like Hafiz Faye
who did the Muslim prayers and Mr. Bah of the Ahmaddiya Jammat, Pan
African youth groups and progressive individuals and sympathizers.Dr.
Assan Jaye of the MRC chaired the occasion.

The print media is fully represented but the GRTS, National and Television Services has not made any
representation or coverage.The children of Nyakoi Nursery school mesmerized the crowd by naming
the capitals of any African country asked by members of the audience.

A Pan African musical and theatre group sang a song written by Mr. Suwaibou Touray entitled,
Africa, we should unite now or perish, we must unite Africa! The song cited names of many Pan
Africanists and freedom fighters in both the Diaspora and in the mainland, such as Patrice Lumumba,
Cabral, Samora machel, Edouado Mondlane, Steven Biko, Marcus Garvey, Dubois, Sylvester
Williams, Titina, Nzingha Ngosi, Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, Nkrumah, Mandela etc who have in
one way or another sacrificed their lives for the African continent.

They also sang a song entitled, our transformation shall succeed, succeed! With dedication and
determination! These two songs have achieved their purpose, ie. to thrill entice and inspire the
congregation.

The group also staged a play written by Suwaibou Touray on the present day realities of ordinary
Africans as they tried to eke out a living in their various countries, such as a Somalian beset by the
endless war which has not made any sense to them but create all kinds of problems. Another from
Kenya who lamented about her country�s problems such as the lack of peace and inter- tribal
warfare, instability etc. The one from Nigeria is from the Niger Delta worried by the exploitation of
their resources without any regard to the environment or the people living in the area. Another from
Zimbabwe who laments on the fact even though they had fought for independence in which they have
sacrificed everything, they are still without Land, Work, peace or progress. The one from Dafur
Region of Sudan spoke of the fratricidal war which has made untold suffering on them the ordinary
people and another, a Gambian youth lamenting about the smiling coast not providing any outlet for
the groundnut crop while they the youth continue to experience unemployment and low pay etc. He
insisted that since he has no future in his homeland he would go anywhere his legs could carry him, and
said he would go and no one would stop him etc.

Then a voice of Kwame Nkrumah emerged to greet the people and to remind them of the Hour of
Decision, THE UNIFICATION OF AFRICA. The voice also explained what Kwame had told his
fellow leaders in 1963 and 1965 on the merits of Unity and demerits of Disunity, in a brief speech
which has given answers to the main problems cited.

The Theme of the Book Launch is, �Awareness is the Mother of Liberty and Prosperity� In a one and
half hour speech, Halifa Sallah espoused on his book. He emphasized the importance of knowledge
and awareness building. He also said the era of heroes and heroines has passed and Africa does not
need saviors but that we now live in an era when knowledge must become the property of the people.
Mr. Sallah moved into the realm of philosophy and quoted Aristotle who he said indicated the stage of
development during his epoch in the Athenian states in the following words; That �The Nations that
live in cold regions and those of Europe are full of spirit but somewhat lacking in skill and intellect. For
this reason while relatively free, they lack political cohesion and the ability to rule over their
neighbours. On the other hand the Asiatic Nations have in their souls both intellect and skill, but
somewhat lacking in spirit, so they remain both enslaved and subject. The Hellenic race, from which
he Aristotle came from, occupies a mid position geographically has a measure of both; being spirited
and intelligent. Hence, it continues to be free, to live under the best constitutions, and given a single
constitution to be capable of ruling all other people�

Citing Dubois, Sallah said Dubois argued in his writing that Black Africa influenced Rome; that many
of her great men were called the �African� because of their birth and blood ties; that the culture of
Egypt went across the Mediterranean, lighting fires in Crete, inspiring Asia from Southern Arabia to
Syria and the Western Asia Minor. In Cretan art, Negro heads appeared, and in the late Minoan age,
at the time of the expansion overseas, a black Minoan captain led Negro troops and so on.
Sallah said Herodotus, a great historian also mentioned in his accounts the names of nearly all the
Greek Gods derived from Egypt, and certainly the Greeks continually turned towards Egypt for
cultural inspiration and scientific information.

Sallah said in the age of Pericles, Black Africans were considered equals to, though different from
Greeks and superior to European and Asiatic barbarians. According to Sallah, the Pan Africanists
intelligentsia read widely and drew lessons from the mythology and history of other Nations.
Citing Dubois further, he said, science for years tried to separate men into great groups called Races;
at first the object was to explain human history by human differences. He said that it was later evident
that mankind would not fit accurately into any scientific delimitation of racial categories; no matter
what criteria were used.

The author then went into the evolution of African nationalism that History teaches that the struggle to
unite the African peoples found an African nation which can protect them from their woes, which gave
birth to African nationalism, is older than the struggle to unite African micro-states to found a united
state of Africa.

The author cited the global slave trade and African Nationalism. He cited Oluadah Equiano, who was
kidnapped and sold into slavery at the age of 11 years but managed to buy his freedom in 1766
before the U.S gained independence, did not hesitate to recall the horrific experience he and other
slaves went through in his autobiography which should be standard reading in literature classes in all
African schools, Sallah opined.

Sallah said Equiano indicated clearly how attempts were made to obliterate the sense of dignity and
self worth of the person of African origin by compelling him or her to accept bondage through
floggings and subjection to improvident avarice; that over 100 million Africans were transported
across the Atlantic to become chattels in Brazil, the US and the West Indies.

Sallah did not forget the efforts made by Africans on the home land to stop the inhuman trade. He
cited the king of Congo (Bakongo) who petitioned the king of Portugal who turned a deaf ear to his
concerns for human and peoples� rights.

After citing the struggles of various Africans such as the Black Jacobins of San Dominique which led
to the proclamation of the Haiti Republic in 1804. He said even after the abolition of the slave trade in
1807, the slave trade continued clandestinely while the internal slave trade flourished in many
countries. The revolts therefore spread unabated toBarbadoes in 1816, Brazil in 1828 and 1837,
Bolivia in 1840, Cuba in 1844 and Jamaica in 1861.

The author then concluded that these revolts spelt doom to the reliance on slave labour for raw
material production. This was why he said a new system had to emerge to safeguard the sources of
raw materials for industrialists of the North. �That new system is called Colonialism� He said.
Sallah then explained what Colonialism meant and dwelt into the first Pan African Conference, the
juridical instruments proposed by the Congress, how the Pan Africanists helped shaped the thinking of
the League of Nations through their petition and the demand for Self determination. This was how the
links between the African peoples at home and Diaspora developed in form and scale.

The author Halifa Sallah took his audience through the process towards Independence at a National
congress of British West Africa, and how the Second, third, Fourth and Fifth Pan African Congresses
influenced the UN Charter etc.

Sallah explained how Dubois influenced Nkrumah when a breakthrough was made on the 6TH March
1957 when the Gold Coast became Independent. Quoting Nkrumah who expressed his conviction
that no single African country could emerge from colonial economy and build industries and the
necessary infrastructure to compete with the capital base of the multinational corporations and
emphasized the need for Africa to be united to make use of its abundant mineral and natural
resources. Halifa then went through the experiences of those who like Nkrumah wanted unification
and those who they considered as gradualists. He gave a long and tedious explanation on the purpose
of Pan Africa, expounded at conferences of independent African states and the All African Peoples
Conferences; that Nkrumah examined the material and subjective conditions which prevailed at the
time and observed the enthusiasm everywhere.

Sallah explained how Ghana and Congo tried to form a nucleus of a federation, how Lumumba sought
the help of the UN and how Ghana sent troops which served under the UN commanders and how
Belgian troops snatched Lumumba from the UN troops and how he eventually got murdered by the
Belgian troops; that even one of the Belgian troops confessed recently that he took a tooth of
Lumumba after they murdered him as a souvenir which he said shows how dehumanized they were at
the time.

He then explained further how Ghana and Guinea tried to forge a union government but argued that
that could not serve the same purpose with that of Ghana and Congo because as he said Congo has
vast mineral resources.

The author followed the second All African Peoples Conference, the achievements and challenges of
the liberation struggle, the Birth of the OAU,the progress made after the failure to adopt the major
proposals of Nkrumah. He said the OAU established the following commissions which became
operational before African Nationalism went through its greatest crisis with the overthrow of Kwame
Nkrumah in February 1966;

1) Economic and Social Commission
2) Defence Commission
3) Educational and Cultural Commission
4) Scientific, Technical and Research Commission
5) Transport and Communication Commission
6) Commission of Jurists.
7) He said these key institutions were established in 1964 to complement the operation of the
Economic and Social Commissions such as the African Development Bank.

Sallah went through the nature and goals of each of these Commissions and draw the conclusion that
all the institutions were established to create an African Union Government, but it was only left with
the political will to implement it. �Instead of redirecting these institutions, African countries therefore
drifted into unequal relations with the developed countries and remain producers of primary products
and importers of value added products� He asserted.

But the author summed up the failure of micro- Nationalist States and the opportunities of African
integration, which he calls the lost decades; 1970-1980, 1980-1990, 1990-2000 as first, second, and
third lost decades respectively, in which sub Saharan Africa became the most heavily indebted region
in the world, at 270% of export earnings and 75% of GNP, and is chronically in arrears.
Halifa asserted that the indebtedness and marginalization of the African continent compelled the Heads
of state to meet in Sirte in Libya, in 1999, to look at the factors which have been stifling the movement
of the continent towards sustainable economic, social and cultural development.

He dilated on the constitutive Act and the building of a united Africa, the need for a programmatic
policy document, the introduction of NEPAD which he opined could bring development but not the
ultimate development that is required. He also argued that NEPAD has not captured the fundamental
lesson of global economics that multilateral trade negotiations are best conducted by regional trading
Blocs which have built up intra- regional trade links to enhance their international competitiveness and
bargaining power.

The author finally went into the way forward and said the arms of the state has been established; that
the treaty establishing the African Economic Community, the Constitutive Act and the Protocols which
emanated from them provide for the establishment of continental Executive, Legislative, Judicial,
Social and Cultural structures which are expected in a Federal state. He explains the principle of
Collective Sovereignty of states, irrespective of size, have been accorded equal voting rights; that
decisions are based on consensus or two-thirds majority; that the Pan African Parliament avails equal
representation to all countries in accordance with concept of peoples rights inherent in the African
Charter.

Sallah said the process to attain the full union or Federated state is in phases, from one to eight. The
8th phase leads to decide the faith of the Draft constitution and a summit should proceed in 2015 to
establish a task force to prepare an implementation blue print to be approved by the 2016 summit for
the establishment of the Federation of African Republics.

�History is indeed in the making� says Halifa Sallah; that the third and final phase of Pan Africanism or
African Nationalism; the total Liberation of the continent from poverty, dependency and tyranny will
reposition Africa in the world and set a new agenda for internationalism which will aim to transform the
world into a universal home for all human beings to live in Liberty, Dignity and Prosperity.
For Sallah, the African must build a civilization in the 21st century which will ensure a destiny of
liberty, dignity and prosperity which he said is a verdict necessity and dictate of conscience and
reason.

Africa he said shall rise like a star among the world constellation of Nations and as he asserted, we
have a contract with Destiny to bequeath a Homeland to the new generation than they have found it;
and that only unity can avail us that opportunity. Africa, he concluded must unite or perish. The future
is bright! ALUTA CONTINUA!

Copyright, 2006-2008: Gainako On-line Newspaper . Site Maintained by Gamway Computers