Renowned African academic and director of the Kenya School of Law, Prof. Patrick Loch Otieno Lumumba, has said government’s cancellation of ‘The Convention’, a Pan African event, which was to take place on January 7 at the Black Star Square in Accra, was very mysterious.
He said the conference, which was organized by the New Africa Foundation, was only meant to share an innocent message of hope to young people across the continent,whilst encouraging them to organize and demand to play leading roles in the development of Africa.
“That is the only message we came here for, unfortunately in a manner totally inexplicable to us, we were not permitted to hold the conference at the venue” Prof Lumumba lamented.
Prof. Lumumba indicated that making positive demands and mobilizing to be part of the governance systems and contributing to the development of the continent, is the only thing that would offer young people the chance to believe in Africa.
Speaking at a presser in Accra on January 7, 2024, after the event was cancelled by the government, Prof Lumumba said, “There is no better place in the continent of Africa to begin that message of hope than in Accra, Ghana, adding “It was in this very country that Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah, spoke to the world and said, the independence of Ghana meant nothing if the continent of Africa was left behind”.
He said 67 years later after that declaration by Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, the New Africa Foundation congregated in Accra on the same grounds where the Founding Fathers of Ghana congregated to share that message of hope, which is the call on all young people in Africa to organize.
He said, when the world serves you lemons, make yourself lemonade, adding “We therefore emphasize that the message of hope will be alive and well”.
The renowned African personalities scheduled to have spoken at the event were; P.L.O.Lumumba from Kenya, Peter Obi from Nigeria, Julius Malema from South Africa and Dr Arikana from Zimbabwe.
Meanwhile, the Diaspora Affairs Directorate at the Office of the President has explained why the programe was cancelled.
According to Dr Nadia Adongo Fynn, Deputy Director of the Diaspora Affairs Directorate, the decision to withdraw the permission granted for hosting the event was necessitated by an “unforeseen” state event scheduled to take place at the same venue.
