By ELSIE EYAKUZE

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Tuesday, May 25, was Africa Day and I only know this because someone mentioned in passing that there was an Africa Day. Did you know? Because I feel that the majority of us might have celebrated it the same way: with no idea that it was happening in the first place.

The internet tells me that Africa Day commemorates the foundation of the Organisation of African Unity, which was the precursor of the African Union. Furthermore, the theme of the Africa Union for 2021 is “Arts, Culture and Heritage: Building the Africa We Want.” Beautiful.

Also, somehow distant. I sat back and thought about the institutions that bind us together as a continent, and what shared identity we have that I could tout for this column and I was stumped. It may be fair to say that for my generation, the African Union might be just that touch too far away from our everyday lives to inspire passion. Perhaps I am wrong, but I can honestly say that the African Union comes up in casual conversation or political debate or even pan-African discussions precisely never. It comes up in the news though when heads of state are meeting. And I think I know why so few of us especially in my generation can muster an interest.

The struggle for independence is, well, around a generation ago for many of us. The borders that the colonials left us we decided to keep pretty much intact. Nation-states turned inwards for the most part to do the important business of actually becoming, which we call “development” because it has a nice official ring to it.

The focus seems to have been on the individual trials and triumphs of countries to survive and thrive where possible, sometimes to collapse and try to revive where things went bad.

Between economic struggle, civil unrest and more than our fair share of colourfully insane — often murderous- autocrats, it has been a busy half-century. Add to that the efforts, often interrupted, to cut the one-size-fits — all cloth of ‘self-rule’ and ‘democracy’ to fit each African country to size and let’s just say that we’ve all been so busy that the “African Project” if there is one has taken a back seat.

Honestly speaking, the last time I can remember it bringing up passion was the concept of the “African Renaissance” that emanated out of South Africa most often spoken of by Thabo Mbeki. That was exciting for a while, because any kind of renewal is exciting for a while, and then it quietly fizzled out.

I also vaguely recollect another similar effort in the idea of ‘Africa Rising’ and no, no idea where that momentary excitement ended up either. I guess it comes in waves when we take the time to look up from our individual country projects and ask each other what’s going on, why do we still have an African Union?

If I were to sum it up, it generally feels like the African continental identity is a rather loose one. Like roommates. I mean, you know when you’re African and you care about Africa but it is really in a very “hey, we’re on this continent together and we have a shared recent history” kind of way since so many of our affiliations are very much more intensely local. Yes, I am alluding to tribalism. We’re not over it. So, basically, Africa Day has its work cut out for it.

But has anyone noticed that some things do get many of us invested? Yes, I will find any excuse to bring up Black Panther, but just this one more time can we just admit how much of a phenomenon it was and still is?

You can go just about anywhere in the world and the greeting from a fictional superhero movie of crossed arms across the chest can bridge a gap and signify so many things.

Especially for a generation whose conversations about the place of Africa in the world, about African identity is markedly more ambitious than previous ones. It was the aspirational element, the imagined future in which we finally triumph by being ourselves. I find that interesting because it resonates with the theme picked this year: Arts, Culture and Heritage- Building the Africa We Want.

Was this a missed opportunity, then? Nothing transcends borders and unites people across borders like the arts, but our special gift to ourselves and to the world is music.

Not to dismiss the wonderful diversity of offerings from various cultures that are non-Africans, but can you imagine what we would all be listening to if Africans hadn’t exported The Beat to every place we have inhabited willingly or unwillingly? Frightening thought.

Considering the African Union’s theme, I feel robbed. It turns out that this was the year to finally throw the concert to end all concerts because we all know we would have gathered.

We know each other’s heads of state, football teams (ugh) and especially artists! We might have opened doors this year to intergenerational and inter-African conversations about what we’re doing and what we can do together.

I admit there is also something quite funny about this, and I am not being cynical because this is a core insight.

Is there anything more African Union of us than a wonderful opportunity, completely and utterly missed? Consistency is key after all. Happy forgotten Africa Day.

May next year’s celebration be better planned and executed on a major scale if we remember in time… but probably not.

Elsie Eyakuze is a consultant and blogger for The Mikocheni Report: E-mail: [email protected]