I Met with Former South African President Thabo Mbeki as an MTN MIP Fellow | Read His Insights on Pan-Africanism

One of the most profound moments of my visit to South Africa, as part of my commitment to the MTN Media Innovation Program in September, was learning how deeply Nigeria’s role is etched and honoured in South Africa’s liberation history. At the Apartheid museum, the role Nigeria played was captured in videos, audio and text, and everywhere we went, we had conversations about the bilateral relations between South Africa and Nigeria, emphasising that contrary to popular opinions, South Africa and Nigeria have maintained a cordial relationship.

One thing we (the MTN MIP fellows) couldn’t help but ask is ‘At what point did the narrative shift from a mutually beneficial relationship between Nigeria and South Africa to one filled with tension on social media??’

The former president of South Africa, Thabo Mbeki, addressed this question, along with many others, when we (fellows) met him at the Thabo Mbeki Foundation. Let me share a few insights from the many things he said.

Africans “Insufficient sense of belonging to the rest of the continent”

He mentioned Africans “Insufficient sense of belonging to the rest of the continent,” a feeling largely fuelled by the “Regression from the Pan Africanist commitment past leaders had.” Before, Thabo Mbeki shared, past African leaders were committed to protecting the continent and promoting a sense of pan-Africanism amongst the people. It is this sense of pan-Africanism, for instance, that prompted countries to stand up for another during their fight for liberation, or send aid to countries in times of turbulence. A perfect example is Nigeria’s involvement in South Africa’s fight against apartheid. However, as the years go by, there’s been a steady decline in our sense of Pan-Africanism, and at all levels too. How much does the average Nigerian know about Burkina Faso, for instance. Do you know the capital of Lesotho? How much African history do we read? Would we rather vacation outside Africa than explore Zambia?

This lack of knowledge and awareness about other countries stems from our inability to care – largely because we feel no sense of connection or responsibility to the continent.

Managing our diversity

To build a sense of pan-Africanism amongst us, Thabo Mbeki said we must “Manage diversity in Africa” and “Generate the interest of Africans in other African countries”. And this starts with “conscious political decisions.” Past leaders understood the need for camaraderie amongst African countries – crafting policies that were beneficial to the continent, and promoting healthy relations amongst the people. However, this consciousness has waned in recent years.

Thabo Mbeki said that, “The sense of a strong Pan-Africanism among the political leadership has receded.” I mean, look at the difficulty of intra-African travel. “So when you raise the matter of movement of Africans amongst themselves, you are talking to people who no longer have that sense of Pan-Africanism or common belonging. It’s a problem,” he continued.

To solve this, Thabo Mbeki said we should learn from artists. Artists, in Africa, have built a level of collaboration that transcends borders. See how Nigerian artists are selling out arenas in various African countries. Think of the relationship Angelina Kidjo has with Nigerian music stars and think of Yemi Alade as Mama Africa, and you can see the point Thabo Mbeki is trying to make here – that when it comes to music and art, the borders aren’t closed and the people are open-minded.

Also look at how MTN Nigeria is promoting relations between Nigerian and South African journalists through the Media Innovation Program. Now, imagine other sectors attaining this level of cross-border collaboration.

But, again, it all starts with the political will.

African economies are more exclusive than inclusive

Another problem is that economies in Africa are becoming more exclusive rather than inclusive. Thabo Mbeki said we must build “Economies that are more inclusive rather than exclusive” because you can never have political stability when inequality is high. The question political leaders are meant to ask themselves is “how do we grow the economy in a way that everyone has access to infrastructure?” And with the continent’s population growth outpacing the access to resources and infrastructure, this question is especially urgent.

Thabo Mbeki says that, “People are worried about more population and less resources. and they respond to it in different ways. That’s why you have people saying others want to take their jobs.” And that is also why many are not receptive or welcoming of other Africans in their country.

The Role of the African Union

Then we have the African Union who, according to Thabo, is an institution that is weakened, “We’re talking about the AU Commission, which should have been the body that would be driving this perspective of African Unity every day, full time. But they are not doing that. The programs are still there, but I think they have weakened. And we need to revisit them, to reinvent, reinvigorate, but I think in the context of a strengthened commitment to the African perspective.”

Thabo Mbeki also says that we must enable free movement in the AU. When it comes to the matter of movement within Africa, he says, “The freer the movement among the Africans, the better for everybody.”