Africa must build its own future – P.L.O Lumumba

By: Godbless Asaana‎
‎Pan-Africanist Professor Patrick Loch Otieno Lumumba has urged African countries to move beyond celebrating the legacy of Ghana’s first President, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, and actively pursue his vision of an economically self-reliant continent.
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‎Speaking at the 2026 NkrumahFest at Nkroful in the Ellembelle District of the Western Region, Prof. Lumumba said Nkrumah’s ideas remain relevant to Africa’s current political, economic and technological challenges.
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‎He said the continent must take advantage of emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence and the Fourth and Fifth Industrial Revolutions, to develop solutions that respond to African needs.
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‎According to him, African young people should not remain consumers of technologies developed elsewhere but must become creators and innovators.
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‎Prof. Lumumba also identified the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and Agenda 2063 as avenues through which aspects of Nkrumah’s vision for continental integration could be advanced.
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‎He called for an Africa that produces and consumes more of what it needs, including food, agricultural products and manufactured goods.
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‎Addressing Nkrumah’s enduring influence, Prof. Lumumba said attempts to suppress his ideas after the 1966 coup could not erase his contribution to Pan-Africanism.
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‎“They thought that they had eliminated him, but like the phoenix before him, he is alive and well.”
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‎He added:
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‎“That is why we say so very confidently, ‘Osagyefo never dies.’”
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‎Prof. Lumumba also welcomed the participation of young people in the NkrumahFest, describing their presence as evidence that Nkrumah’s ideas continue to resonate across generations.
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‎He cited the participation of nine-year-old poet Ruqayyah as an example of how younger Africans can connect with the legacy of the former Ghanaian leader.
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‎He urged Africans to build stronger political and economic systems, reform governance and place African resources and production at the centre of the continent’s development.
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‎“We are going to do what you wanted us to do,” he declared, addressing Nkrumah’s legacy.
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‎He said the unfinished task of building a united and self-reliant Africa requires collective action from both current leaders and future generations.
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