Renowned Pan-Africanist and former Director of the Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission, P.L.O. Lumumba, has delivered yet another impassioned speech, this time addressing the critical role of Africa’s youth in shaping the continent’s future.
Speaking on the history of revolutions and the current state of African youth, Lumumba underscored how young people have historically been the engine of transformative change, yet lamented their apparent disconnection from the urgent realities facing the continent today.
Drawing on examples from global and African history, Lumumba reminded his audience of the pivotal role youth have played in revolutions. “As early as 1908 in Turkey, it was the young people who rose up against the dictatorial regime. During the Bolshevik revolution, it was the youth. The civil rights movement in the United States, led by Martin Luther King Jr. and Ralph Abernathy, was driven by young people,” he said.
He continued by recounting instances of youth-led activism in Africa, such as the 1960 Sharpeville Massacre in South Africa and the 1976 Soweto Uprising, where young people stood up against apartheid. He also cited global examples like the uprisings in France in 1968 and South Korea in 1980, where youth were at the forefront of pushing for change.
However, Lumumba expressed concern over the state of African youth today, accusing them of being distracted by entertainment and foreign influences. “Our young people in Africa today are imprisoned by Arsenal, Manchester United, Barcelona, and Real Madrid. Our young girls are imprisoned by cheap South American soap operas and Beyoncé Knowles. How can that be?” he questioned.
He lamented the lack of awareness among the youth about their history and the pressing issues of governance and exploitation that Africa continues to face. “How can a continent be so accursed that our young people have no sense of our history, no sense of our presence, no sense of our future? No wonder the Chinese are conquering us by the day,” Lumumba said, pointing to the growing influence of China on the continent.
Lumumba called on the youth to awaken from their distractions and reclaim their place as agents of change. “It is only the day that they wake up that they will be able to send a clear message to those in positions of leadership that you cannot continue to misgovern us. I look forward to those days,” he concluded passionately.
The speech is a testament to Lumumba’s consistent advocacy for youth empowerment and his belief in the transformative potential of Africa’s young people. Known for his fiery rhetoric and commitment to pan-African ideals, Lumumba has long championed the idea that Africa’s salvation lies in the hands of its youth—if only they can rise to the occasion.
