VOICE OF COURAGE Selected speeches of Obafemi Awolowo (Vol 2)

IN absolute terms, we are led to believe that we are making rapid economic progress. In recognition of this ostensible progress, we are no longer referred to as underdeveloped: we are now politely regarded as a developing Continent. But in relative terms, we are only a wee better than we were in our colonial days.

Before us, right under our very nose, Western Europe is integrating itself fast into one indivisible giant economy. The USSR and the USA are, each of them, a huge and closely-knit economic entity. Between them, the countries of Western Europe and the USA have undisputed control over international trade and finance. Between them, they dictate or decisively influence the terms and directions of international trade; and, at their will and pleasure, determine the state of international liquidity as well. Specifically, they dictate to us what we should produce, and sell to them, and at what prices: and in return, they sell to us what they think is good for us on their own terms. We have little or no choice in all these transactions. In the face of all these economic integrations among the developed countries of the world, and the inevitable strengthening of their economic dominance, we in Africa cannot afford to continue to shirk our most urgent task. We cannot afford to continue to remain as small, impotent, and defenseless economic units that we now are.

The great significance of sovereignty is that it gives us the golden chance of ordering our lives and affairs the way we like, politically as well as economically. In the days of our political bondage, the problem of economic prosperity was not susceptible to satisfactory solution. Down the ages, the greatest affliction of Africa is poverty, together with ignorance and disease. Since independence, we have it in our power to put an end to this endemic affliction. But, alas!

By-and-large, we have thus far done very little, and in any case nothing spectacular, about this baneful affliction. It is high time we did something about it and swiftly too. There must be an African declaration of normative social and economic objectives which all African States must be enjoined to pursue, individually, and as an actively cooperating aggregation. The emergence of regional economic groupings in Africa is a healthy and commendable evolution. But these groupings should be regarded as no more and no less than steps in the right direction. For one thing, in scale and potentials, they are incapable of meeting the challenge of the gargantuan economic groupings which are now taking place in Europe and the Americas. For another there is the danger that these regional African groupings might engage in destructive competition among themselves, unless their activities are coordinated and canalised at an Africa-wide level.

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Furthermore, it is generally known and acknowledged that international organisations, like the ECA, have done a tremendous amount of work in studying the economic and social problems of Africa, and in formulating solutions for them. It is also widely known at African States have participated actively in the work of these international benefits – even If yet intangible—from their activities, for which I am sure, we are deeply grateful. But we must be prepared to admit that these international organisations are far from being adequate for our purposes, and from being compatible with our much-desired economic self-determination and independence. Our attitude to these international organisations then should be quite clearly this, and I believe that this represents the present thinking among African Address entitled ‘The Role of the Working Class in Post-War leaders and peoples: instead of regarding them as the Alpha and Nigeria which was delivered to the Third Revolutionary Convention Omega of our economic salvation, we should establish our own of the Nigerian Trade Union Congress on Sunday, 1st March, 1970 permanent and Africa-wide institutional bodies which will be under our absolute control, and to which these international organisations I thank the officers and members of the Nigerian Trade Union as well as our regional organisations will be ancillary and Congress for giving me the opportunity to address this closing supplementary session of Its Third Revolutionary Convention.

The preambles to the Charter of this Organisation speak its programme, as well as from the accounts of its meetings, eloquently of the harnessing of the natural and human resources of there is no doubt that the Convention has had five crowded days of our Continent, for the total advancement of our peoples in all spheres hardwork. During this period, it has been addressed by eminent of human endavour, and of uniting all the African States to the end public men, economists, and trade unionists; and has discussed that the welfare and well-being of all our peoples can be assured matters of the moment like education, nationalisation, full

As a general declaration of aims, these preambles are employment, workers participation in economic planning, proposals unexceptionable and admirable. But they lack the detailed for agrarian reform, and the role of the working class in post-war concreteness and specificity of the economic objectives which bind Nigeria. The Common Market countries together. These detailed, concrete. At this closing stage, there is really no subject of relevance and specific objectives must now be worked out and declared, and, interest to this Convention which has not been thoroughly dealt definite steps taken to implement them without any delay with by a previous speaker. The temptation is therefore, very great.