Restore the lost glory of Africa - Kojo Tsikata urges African youth

A former Head of National Security and Foreign Affairs, Captain Kojo Tsikata, has underscored the need for the youth to take interest in restoring the lost glory of Africa through Pan Africanism.

He said it was worrying that the youth today did not appear to be interested in the Pan-African Project for which many comrades had laid down their lives.

“We have grieved that our youth do not understand how continental unity is a necessary condition for the sustainable resolution of the socio-economic crisis that has been their lot for far too many years,” he said.

Capt Tsikata said this in a speech read on his behalf by the Local Chairman of the Socialist Forum of Ghana (SFG), Mr Kyeretwie Opoku, to receive an award at the 2018 Pan African Conference held at the University of Education, Winneba (UEW) last Saturday.

The four-day Pan African Conference which had over 500 youth in attendance from across Africa was used by the Socialist Forum of Ghana to award Capt Tsikata for his selfless contribution to the Pan Africanist movement.

Captain Tsikata was honoured along with other selected revolutionary militants and leaders for their contributions to the struggles of the masses against imperialism and capitalism.

Movements

Capt Tsikata urged Pan Africanist movements to help the youth find a way to get the African continent back on track and give meaning to all the sacrifice and pain that so many had endured for so long.

He stressed the importance of getting back on track, saying “those of us who survived the liberation wars and are still around today have watched with great sadness while two generations of the social elites that our sacrifices brought to power have undermined and sold out the pan-African project in favour of shameful, cosy, neo-colonial subservience”.

“We have, never, however, lost hope. The work you are doing here today and your willingness to ground it in its proper historical context is the most re-assuring indication that we have had in many years that the torch we once carried will never be extinguished”, he added.

Gratitude

Expressing his gratitude, Capt Tsikata said he was humbled that Pan-Africanism today and the many leaders of the movement had seen it fit to honour surviving pan African and internationalist militants of the African liberation wars.

He said too many Pan African comrades had died in the prime of their lives for their contributions to remain unsung, adding that they made the ultimate sacrifice to create possibilities for the future generations that could not exist under brutal colonial domination.

“I am proud to accept your salutation on behalf of the hundreds of thousands of comrades who risked life and limb in these struggles. We were moved by feelings of tremendous love and unshakeable faith that Africa would realise its full potential and give meaning to our sacrifices,” he stated.

Capt Tsikata advised Pan- African movement leaders not to relent in their quest to build an Africa that was free from external interference.

He said the leaders must not only defeat imperialism but build new institutions - economic, social, cultural and military that would protect the African revolution.

Support

Capt Tsikata pledged to support Pan Africanist movements with his strength and wisdom he had gained over the years, adding that he remained ready to serve whenever he was called upon.