Today on throwback Thursday, we are focusing on icons of African struggle and freedom movements whose legacies have refused to leave even after their death. Here are six African revolutionaries and leaders that are most celebrated by Africa, and whose ideals laid the foundation for the economic and political progress of their respective countries.
1. Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana
Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah was the first Prime Minister and President of Ghana, formerly Gold Coast. He led the fight for Ghana’s independence in 1957. From prison, he led the Convention Peoples’ Party (CPP) to win an election in February 1951. As a result, he was released to form a government in 1951 and pushed for the country’s total independence in 1957. He was a firm believer in African liberation and pursued a radical pan-African policy. This ideal led to the formation of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) (now the African Union) in 1963. His legacy and dream of a “United States of African” still remains a goal among many.
2. Patrice Lumumba, DR Congo
Patrice Emery Lumumba was the first Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of Congo from June to September 1960. Lumumba was the leader of Mouvement National Congolais (MNC) party and played an instrumental role in the struggle for independence. He also continued to fight the influence of Belgium and other Western nations in the new country. This pitched him against the Western powers as he was unrelenting in his quest for the extermination of all signs of imperialism. He was assassinated at age 35 years old in 1961.
3. Thomas Sankara, Burkina Faso
Thomas Sankara was a charismatic revolutionary leader. He rose to the rank of captain in the Burkinabe military before he was thirty years old. In 1983, Sankara led a popularly-supported military coup against President Jean-Baptiste Ouedraogo. His motive was to end corruption and continued supremacy of the former French colonial power. He pushed for a reformed Burkina Faso through many ambitious programs for social and economic transformation. He changed the country’s name from Upper Volta to Burkina Faso – “Land of the Upright Man”. His approach made him a favourite of many Africans. Backed by the Western powers, Balise Compore – a close friend of Sankara, led the overthrow of Sankara in 1987. It was during this coup that Sankara was killed at the age 37.
4. Nelson Mandela, South Africa
He was the first black President of South Africa and the most celebrated African leader of modern history. Mandela led the anti-apartheid movement for over 50 years, and was successful in ending the decades of racial discrimination against the black natives by the white minority. During his presidency, Mandela focused on reconciliation and ensured all was done to avoid a repeat of apartheid i.e the blacks maltreating the whites, and unification of the country. Mandela died in 2013 aged 95.
5. Gamal Abdel Nasser Hussein, Egypt
Gamal Abdel Nasser is fondly referred as the father of modern Egypt. His ideas and influence still hold sway in the North African country. At present, there is a movement known as Nasserism in Eygpt and many Arab countries. Nasser led the obliteration of monarchical rule in Egypt in 1952 and introduced many reforms. His public support and popularity grew after he nationalized the Suez Canal. He attempted to resign in 1967, but nationwide protests of his supporters ensure his reinstatement. Nasser died of heart attack at age 52 in 1970 shortly after attending the Arab League Summit.
6. Obafemi Awolowo, Nigeria
Awolowo was Nigeria’s foremost federalist. In his Path to Nigerian Freedom (1947) – the first systematic federalist manifesto by a Nigerian politician – he advocated federalism as the only basis for equitable national integration and, as head of the Action Group, he led demands for a federal constitution, which was introduced in the 1954 Lyttleton Constitution, following primarily the model proposed by the Western Region delegation led by him. As premier, he proved to be and was viewed as a man of vision and a dynamic administrator. Awolowo was also the country’s leading social democratic politician. He supported limited public ownership and limited central planning in government. He believed that the state should channel Nigeria’s resources into education and state-led infrastructural development.