The yearning for a borderless Africa resonates deeply within the hearts of many across the continent. It speaks to a fundamental truth: the arbitrary lines drawn by colonial powers have fractured a shared heritage, dividing communities with intertwined histories, cultures, and identities. Why, indeed, should Africans be separated by these artificial constructs, prevented from freely interacting, trading, and living as the interconnected people we were always meant to be?

The very notion of a Ugandan Bantu paying taxes to visit their Bantu brethren in South Africa or Ghana highlights the absurdity of these imposed divisions. Are we not bound by a common thread of ancestry, a shared cultural tapestry woven over millennia? To the Bantu people, spread across vast distances yet connected by language, customs, and spiritual roots, these borders represent an unnatural barrier to kinship. Are we not all kinsfolk by virtue of our shared African origin, children of the same soil? How can families, in the broadest sense, be confined by lines on a map, treated as foreigners in lands inhabited by their own?

The suffering of our brothers and sisters in one part of Africa should resonate deeply within us all. Why should a Bantu in Uganda feel less concerned when their kin in Sudan face hardship? The artificial borders have, to some extent, fostered a sense of nationalistic identity that can overshadow the larger African identity. Yet, our shared humanity and interconnected histories demand a broader empathy. The tragedy of Bantu communities turning against each other in the Democratic Republic of Congo while others celebrate in Rwanda underscores the destructive legacy of division. These conflicts are often fueled by the very borders that create artificial distinctions and competition for resources within confined spaces.

The truth remains: Africans, by creation and by history, were meant to be one. United by a unique hue that identifies us on the global stage, our diversity should be a source of strength, not fragmentation. We are not merely Ugandans, Rwandans, Ghanaians, Kenyans, Nigerians, or Ethiopians in isolation; we are Africans first. Our religious affiliations, while deeply personal, should not overshadow our shared African identity. We are not primarily Anglicans, Muslims, Christians, Catholics, or any other denomination before we are Africans, bound by a common heritage and destiny.

The wisdom of Chinua Achebe echoes across generations, reminding us of the “knife of the Europeans” that severed the cords binding us together. It is our responsibility to heal these wounds, to dismantle the psychological and physical barriers that keep us apart. We cannot achieve lasting peace on our continent while harboring suspicion and planning potential conflicts across these artificial boundaries. How can we speak of African solutions for African problems when our very interactions are constrained by the limitations imposed by external forces?

Transformation hinges on our ability to move beyond these divisions. Economic prosperity requires the free flow of goods, services, and people. How can we truly trade together, build joint ventures, and create a thriving pan-African economy when borders impede movement and impose unnecessary costs? How can we foster innovation and share knowledge effectively when our scholars, entrepreneurs, and artists face bureaucratic hurdles simply to connect with their counterparts in neighboring countries? How can we reason together, forging common solutions to shared challenges like climate change, disease, and poverty, when our interactions are limited by nationalistic silos?

Opening Africa’s borders is not about erasing our unique cultural expressions; it is about celebrating the richness and diversity of our continent within a framework of unity. Imagine a continent where a Ugandan can freely travel to experience the vibrant culture of Ghana, where a Nigerian entrepreneur can easily establish business ties in South Africa, where artists and intellectuals can collaborate seamlessly across the Sahara and the Zambezi. This free exchange would not dilute our individual identities but rather enrich our collective African identity, fostering understanding, tolerance, and mutual respect.

The path towards a borderless Africa will undoubtedly face challenges. Concerns about security, economic disparities, and the potential strain on resources are valid and must be addressed through careful planning and collaborative strategies. However, these challenges should not deter us from pursuing this noble vision. Instead, they should galvanize us to work together, to develop robust frameworks for managing migration, ensuring equitable development, and fostering a shared sense of citizenship that transcends national boundaries.

The dream of a united Africa, free from the shackles of colonial borders, is not a utopian fantasy but a pragmatic necessity for our collective progress. It is a call to reclaim our shared heritage, to embrace our interconnectedness, and to build a future where cultural diversity thrives, peace reigns, and true transformation becomes a reality for all Africans. Let the debate begin, let the conversations flourish, and let the unwavering desire for a borderless Africa guide us towards a brighter, more unified future.

For more knowledge; https://kitararcc.com/kins-foundation/ and https://kitararcc.com/who-we-are/