NEW PROJECT: THE AFRICA WE WANT
Blog Details Home Blog Details AGENDA 2063 is Africa’s blueprint and master plan for transforming Africa into the global powerhouse of the future. It is the continent’s strategic framework that aims to deliver on its goal for inclusive and sustainable development and is a concrete manifestation of the pan-African drive for unity, self-determination, freedom, progress and collective prosperity pursued under Pan-Africanism and African Renaissance. The Africa We Want is a new project aimed at popularizing the African Union Agenda2063 in all nations of the globe. It will engage Africans – and inspire them to take their place in the realization of the African We Want and Deserve. The event will be held online every month. We invite all Africans to be a part of this important discussion. To register, visit: www.bit.ly/taww2023 This project is hosted in partnership with Sompon Socialservices, Germany. My mid 2023, The first batch of TAWW Ambassadors would have been inaugurated. Join us today! Head on to YouTube to watch our videos. TAKE ME TO YOUTUBE Share Categories Popular Posts Newsletter
YALF STATEMENT ON THE DEMISE OF MAMA FELICIANA MSHANGA
Blog Details Home Blog Details The Young African Leaders Forum (YALF) wishes to express its heartfelt condolences to entire continent of Africa on the lost of a 21st century representation of Mama Africa and an absolute revolutionary icon. Mama Feliciana Mshanaga had carried in her womb one of the most eminent young Pan Africanists and Human Resource Manager of YALF, Mr Florian Mshanga. The YALF community today is heart drained on the occasion of the demise of a mother who committed herself to the struggle for African liberation both in cash and kind. Mama Feliciana is only out of sight but never out of mind because she lived a life of legacy. Her current state, in African culture, is simply a routine transition of life which made her even more powerful as a spirit. Africa has indeed been starved of the mother’s milk of love in its purest tones to the cold hands of death. We all are saddened, but the immediate family is the most affected in this circumstance. YALF therefore condoles with them in these difficult moments of life. We are with you and encourage you to reflect on the legacies of Mama Feliciana as a life manual in building a better Africa, for hers was a life well lived capable of emulation. We the new YALF ambassadors dotted across the continent have really missed out in tapping from the rich wealth of virtues from the virtuous woman as we never had the opportunity of meeting her. We therefore, in solidarity, wish to have a memorial lecture in honor of the late Mama Feliciana Mshanga, the lioness of Africa, whose strength is ever resident in everyone of the Young African Leaders she mentored during her lifetime. Continue to rest in power, our dearly beloved mother, Mama Feliciana Mshanga. Released by:Gomina Bonkpan DawudYALF Ambassador, Kumasi Ghana. Share Categories Popular Posts Newsletter
YALJOD 2024: CALL FOR PAPERS | OFFICIAL LAUNCH
Blog Details Home Blog Details The Young African Leaders Forum (YALF) invites interested Africans to submit research articles for publication in the fourth edition of its Young African Leaders Journal of Development (YALJOD). YALJOD was established in 2015 as a global journal of development which will host scholarly analysis and competing viewpoints about the development of Africa. Since the release of the maiden edition in 2016, the biennial journal has continued to foster the collective progress of the African people by providing a blueprint for the development missions and projects of the leading pan-African movement, Young African Leaders Forum, the African Union as well as many other civil society organizations. GUIDELINES FOR THE SUBMISSION OF ARTICLES Articles submitted to YALJOD must be original work that has not been published previously, and is not currently under consideration by any other publication. Any consequences for the violation of copyright laws or infringement will be duly borne by the defaulting author. The journal is not scholarly peer-reviewed. In some cases, however, manuscripts will be sent to our specialists and scholars (YALF Consultants) for evaluation. Please carefully read through and ensure you comply with the stated guidelines as any breach of the submission rules may lead to the rejection of your paper. Each paper must be accompanied by the author’s profile summary of no more than 100 words. This should include author’s qualification and affiliated organization. The summary must be written at the end of the article. Each paper must be accompanied by a brief abstract – a short and powerful summary that describes the focus of your research work. Article must not exceed 5,000 words. Articles must be in Times New Roman font and double-spaced. Tables, models, diagrams or photographs should be within the text, and NOT as appendix. Citations and referencing should follow the recent APA style. Manuscripts should be submitted via regular email, and should take the form of attachment formatted in MICROSOFT WORD (send to yaljod@yalf.africa) Due to the large volume of papers we receive, we are regrettably unable to provide individualized critiques of most of the manuscripts that we reject. However, we will ensure we automatically confirm the receipt of articles once they arrive. OTHER CONDITION FOR SUBMISSION OF ARTICLES: To successfully submit articles for publication, prospective Authors must meet the following requirements: Must hold, at least, the minimum of a Bachelor’s degree obtained from a reputable tertiary institution. Must not have sent the article for consideration in another publication. Must be willing to participate and present the paper in any of the YALF Conferences when called upon. The 5th edition of YALJOD will be officially launched during the 2024 Pan-African Summit of the Young African Leaders Forum (YALF) in partnership with the African Union. For more information, please visit www.yalf.africa THE DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS IS: AUGUST 15, 2024. The digital version of YALJOD is available on digitalcommons.kennesaw.edu/yaljod Share Categories Popular Posts Newsletter
ETHIOPIA: A COUNTRY RAVAGED BY CIVIL WAR – PAFUNGEYI GORE
Blog Details Home Blog Details As I celebrate my birthday today the 16th of December the people of Libya, Ethiopia, Sudan and all other African countries ravaged by conflict came into my mind. Civil war is always something that impacts on children, the elderly and women. Disputing parties must always find reasoning before embarking on self-destructing adventures like the one in the Tigray region of Ethiopia. Whatever the grievances might be war will never be the solution in addressing them. War is detrimental to the development of this great continent called Africa. Infrastructure is being destroyed in Ethiopia on daily basis. Money that could have been used for developing other projects is being channeled towards buying weaponry. Power is a tool that must be used to entrench African democracy it must never be used to suppress people’s rights or advance tribal fights. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has remained resilience in the fight against insurgence and he is in control of the country’s resources. His control of economic power in Ethiopia means he can sustain an onslaught on the opposition held areas and he is also recognized as the country’s Prime Minister. He also enjoys regional support, whilst it boggles the mind how the opposition is continuing on its offensive against the government and who is behind the sponsorship of the opposition. Africa must never be used as a testing ground for weapons no matter. Destabilization of countries always benefit monopoly capital hence the need for Africans to always use Inclusive National Dialogue as a tool to ensure peace and tranquility prevails in our great continent. Those in power must also not abuse their proximity to repressive state apparatus to repress the weak and vulnerable for their own advantage. It’s very possible for Africa to move with speed and develop this great continent to the levels of Europe because we have the resources to do so but we are far more engrossed in fighting each other rather than development. The human resources that is being put to waste by fighting endless ethnic wars can be used in the development of the continent. As a continent our institutions must also be strong in order to respond to threats and deal with them as a matter of urgency. Wars can’t be allowed to take many years before continental response. As I celebrate my birthday Libya has not known peace since 2011 and there is no clear response from the AU. If we can’t solve our own problems no one will take us serious or even take us seriously as business partners. We shall remain punching bags forever if we fail to act when the situation requires us to do so. As leaders of the Young African Leaders Forum (YALF) we urge the disputing parties in Ethiopia to engage each other in a process of national dialogue aimed at restoring lasting peace. Share Categories Popular Posts Newsletter
REGISTER FOR WAYS 2021 (October 22)
Blog Details Home Blog Details The Young African Leaders Forum (YALF) hereby invites all West African Youths to the West African Youth Summit, which will be held on Friday, October 22, 2021 at the reputable American Corner, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria. This promises to be one of the most strategic youth gatherings in West Africa; and we counted it our honour to have you benefit as a participant. Our West African Youth Summit seeks to build and utilize the potentials of young people to foster economic growth in the West African region, especially Nigeria. With the spate of youth unemployment and underdevelopment, the event’s main focus is how the sectors of Education, Technology and Entrepreneurship can be leveraged upon to ensure that inclusive development is achieved in Nigeria and West Africa. The conference, with its theme as LEADING IN TURBULENT TIMES, will propel young people to participate actively and be the change that they want to see in their societies. It will also impel them to support positive progressions and assume responsibilities for themselves and others through its provided platform for hobnobbing, learning, mentorship, and B2B networking. This event will seek solutions for today’s problems – and for excellence, it is structured not only around training sessions, but on caucus (breakout sessions) and panel discussions to unite attendees in finding solutions to Nigeria’s economic development. From this event, we would like to establish concrete deliverables in the form of new ideas. Register now on bit.ly/WAYS2021 Share Categories Popular Posts Newsletter
THE BRIGHTER FUTURE FOR AFRICAN DEMOCRACY
Blog Details Home Blog Details It is more than two decades since pro-democracy grassroots organizations led struggles that eventually resulted in the overthrow of many despots and tyrants in Africa. Since then, there have been some noticeable improvements in the transition to democratic governance all over the continent. This does not mean, however, that African democracies are without problems, but a truism is that the richly-blessed continent has continued to make steady progress towards institutionalizing the world’s most coveted system of governance. Democracy can only be bolstered in states where there is respect for the basic human rights. In some parts of Africa, the process seems to be suffering some iterant setbacks due to the neglect of the fundamental human rights. For instance, Cameroonians are tacitly disenfranchised as their incumbent President, Paul Biya, has done everything within his capacity to modify the constitution and remain as an everlasting monarch. The same applies to Equatorial Guinea where Tedoro Nguema is reported to be amongst the worst abusers of human rights. And the case of Yoweri Museveni remaining in power till date – as well as the recent Burundian third-term saga– are shocks to the collective growth of the continent’s democracy. Africa’s problem has been in its conception of democracy. The idea of democracy itself is viewed almost exclusively as a Western concept of which the continent now stands desperately in need. Many African statesmen presume that democratic values and practices are alien to the continent and should not be accepted. What has been consistently ignored is that democratic values have been as indigenous to Africans as they were to the ancient Greeks. The desire for representation, inclusion and participation in public affairs are universal to all humans; the difference rests on the methods of attaining these goals. Suffice it to say that the extent to which a society “democratizes” depends on its sociocultural milieu, whether it is African, Euro-American or Asian. Recent developments have shown that the democratization process can actually work in Africa. Since democracy has been firmly established in Ghana, Botswana and Mauritius – nations which have made steady progress towards deepening participatory and inclusive governance– its potency to spread into other parts of Africa had become stronger. Nigeria – Africa’s largest economy and most populous country – also joined the league of democratic African nations when the former President Goodluck Jonathan chose to strengthen the bedrock of unity and deepen the country’s democratic governance rather than subvert the electoral process or result. That proved naysayers and doubters who thought Nigeria could not have credible elections wrong. However, his sacrifice has since been forgotten – and bore no fruit – because the incumbent president, Muhammadu Buhari opted for militarised democracy instead of according power to the people. The General remains a dictator in disguise – and his public address after the #EndSARS genocide reveals the oppressor in the man. By 2023, young people in Nigeria will seek to right the wrong using their voter’s card. If their voice is not suppressed by the military, it would be because they spoke out with one voice and bore the brunt together. Their success would inspire Africa. If the largest democracy on the continent gets it right by 2023, others will. So far, only Mauritius ranks in full democracy category amongst African nations. Countries such as Benin, Botswana, Ghana, Namibia, Mauritius, Senegal and South Africa are progressively becoming beacons of political rights. All these goes to show that democracy will be institutionalized in Africa as long as selfless leaders keep emerging. The continent requires leaders that will embrace true democracy and develop the moral courage to live up to democratic expectations. A democracy premised on the principles of selflessness, nobility, tolerance, truth, equality, justice, honesty, self-control and restraint is simply what Africa requires and emerging leaders in Africa can do well to achieve it. Share Categories Popular Posts Newsletter
VIRTUAL EVENT: LIFE & LEGACY OF KENNETH KAUNDA
Blog Details Home Blog Details In commemoration of Dr. Kenneth Kaunda (KK), YALF and ILU invites you to this virtual event which would discuss his life and legacy as Zambia’s founding father, Pan-Africanist and founder of the OAU. Join us this Friday (July 9) by 3:00pm GMT on ZOOM and FACEBOOK as we aim to arrive at concrete deliverables in the form of preserved Pan-African ideals. To be a part of this event on ZOOM, please send your indication of interest to our HQ Whatsapp contact: +27 74840 2891 PLEASE PREPARE TO ATTEND THIS EVENT. Share Categories Popular Posts Newsletter
CELEBRATING THIS VICTORY WITH DR. WALTER RODNEY
Blog Details Home Blog Details The Young African Leaders Forum (YALF) received exciting news from our comrades at the Walter Rodney Foundation (WRF) in the United States. Steps were taken to right the tragic wrong done to the family of Dr. Walter Rodney who was ruthlessly assassinated on June 13th, 1980. Reports point to the Forbes Burnham-led government as having orchestrated the murder of this great pan-African Historian – the author of How Europe Underdeveloped Africa This book changed our President’s perspective about Africa’s development since his undergraduate days. It is also the foundation for the formation of our organisation, YALF. Dr. Walter Rodney was a promising and intelligent 38 year old young man who wanted a better society characterised by Justice and Equality. He was a Scholar-Activist, who taught as a Senior Lecturer in different universities and held a series of Groundings with young people in different countries across the globe. He had the boldness to confront the political and social injustice in his time. He inspired and empowered youths intellectually – and with practical examples. Today, justice is being served. Dr. Rodney was vindicated after 41 years. Following the recent announcement in Parliament By the Attorney-General of Guyana – Anil Nandlall, Rodney’s Gravesite and Memorial will now become National Monuments managed by the Guyana National Trust (GNT). His children’s books Kofi Baadu-Out of Africa and Lakshmi-Out of India will be added to the syllabus for primary and secondary students. His seminal text, How Europe Underdeveloped Africa will be available to the University community. The government of Guyana also confirmed that Rodney’s cause of death will be amended to delete the word ‘’misadventure’’ and it will now read ‘’Death by Assassination.’’ His records would also be amended to read that Dr. Rodney was a “Professor” instead of “unemployed”. We savour this victory!!! Signed, Danny Matondo, Head of Communications, Young African Leaders Forum Share Categories Popular Posts Newsletter
Individual Development as the Pathway to African Development
Blog Details Home Blog Details Individual Development as the Pathway to African Development Man is the measure of all things. He forms the bedrock of any society, and his nature determines the state of the society. It is paramount for the individual to be developed if a nation is to achieve sustainable development. This is because without first solving the problem of the individual, it is almost impossible for any nation to develop. Individual development is the foundation of a nation’s development; and no nation will prosper if the individuals that constitute it are not developing. This fact is analogous to a machine which parts are faulty. It is obvious that the overall functioning of such machine will be hampered to the extent which depends on the role played by the faulty part. That is, if a vital part is faulty, the overall functioning of the said machine will be thoroughly weakened. Juxtaposed, this will imply that the extent to which an individual can affect a nation depends on the position occupied by such individual. It will be rare for a society to experience development if her top leadership positions are occupied by underdeveloped individuals. The reverse will be the case when leaders are developed. By individual development, I mean the moral and intellectual uprightness of an individual. Whilst the moral aspect of an individual determines his will and character, his intellectual uprightness promotes his competence via a powerful reason. With a spirited will and a power reason, an individual can be said to be developed. Unfortunately, the absence of individual development has proven to be the cause of Africa’s underdevelopment. Most African leaders lack the intellectual integrity and the moral courage to live up to expectation. They are ruled by their appetite rather than by reason. Once in power, they gradually begin to nurse the hope of staying there for life. Many African leaders impugn on the fundamental rights of the citizens and eventually become dictatorial. It is apparent that the gales of looting and corruption in the continent is as a result of the absence of character (spirited will) in leadership. A leadership that is individually developed will place the interest of the people above that of the self. It will have a proper understanding of the dynamics of the continent’s underdevelopment in a rapidly globalising world. Such leadership will put in place measures anchored on democratic tenets – in which the people chart a course of economic recovery. It will frown at corruption. This is what Africa needs. Share Popular Posts Newsletter
