There have also been some internal factors that have made Africa be where it is today.  Unfortunately, African countries have suffered at the hands of its post -independence leaders.  These leaders have betrayed the continent by shamelessly engaging in malpractices such as corruption, gross mismanagement of public resources, violation of human rights, etc.  Recently we have sadly witnessed how the heads of states in zambia and Malawi have used their positions in favour of their private enterprises such as using government machinery and resources to put up a private institute and to host a very exorbitant wedding party, respectively.

    Notwithstanding these inhibitive factors,   Africa does have every reason to hope that it will be a continent that the whole world will look up to (not only for cultural and religious edification, but also for good models of every aspect of life) in this new millenium.  I echo the powerful words of the great African leader, Julius Nyerere, ''Of all the sins that Africa can commit, the sin of despair would be the most unforgivable.''  Africa is rising up from the ashes of unassertiveness of its citizenry.  The selfishness and greed of those who govern in some of our countries in Africa thrive on the fact that the citizenry has been, by and large, very accommodating, passive and unassertive.  The citizenry has hardly demanded its right to good governance, transparency and accountability from political leaders.  This is seen in may cases where elected leaders known to have abused their offices are re-elected over and over again, thereby giving them an opportunity to entrench themselves in politics of self-aggrandisement.  The growing levels of dynamism that is becoming more and more evident in the civil society in Africa, cannot but give us every reason to hope that soon this culture of political passsivity will be the thing of the past.

    Among several things that Africa must untiringly be working on in this new millennium is unity.  Unity of Africa was one of the greatest dreams of the African nationalists and we must by all means resuscitate this dream.   It is for this reason that I quote here the words of Kwame Nkrumah in his speach delivered at the founding of OAU in May 1963.

Our economic advantage demands the end of colonialist and neo-colonialist domination in Africa.  But just as we understood that the shaping of our national destines required of each of us our political independence and bent all our strength to this attainment, so we must recognise that our economic independence resides in our African union and requires the same concentration upon the political achievement. [...]  Resources are there.  It is for us to marshall them in active service of our people.  Unless we  do this by our concerted, within the framework of our combined efforts, within the frmawork of our combined planning, we shall not progress at the tempo demanded by today's events and the mood of our people.  The symptoms of our troubles will grow, and the troubles themselves become chronic.  It will then be too late even for pan-African unity to secure for us stability and tranquility in our labours for a continent of social justice and material well-being.

    These words, though said 37 years ago, are still very relevant to the African continent today. Recently there have been a number of collective efforts by African peoples (countries) to finding solutions to their own problems.  We have every reason to hope that Africa will continue to work seriously on unity within and across the arbitrarily imposed boarders.  Nkrumah's idea of African union is not far-fetched.  The union of African nations, without necessarily sacrificing their sovereignties, big or small, is possible and workable just as is the case in Europe (as proved by the European Union).  African union will bring peace, co-operation, brotherhood, prosperity and a voice to Africa.