The Birth of a Revolutionary Movement
Eighty years ago, in the city of Manchester, England, a revolution of ideas was born — a battle for Africa’s freedom and dignity began.
From October 15–21, 1945, more than two hundred delegates, freedom fighters, trade unionists, intellectuals, and students gathered for the historic 5th Pan-African Congress. It was at this gathering that the Manchester Declaration was signed, setting into motion the liberation struggles that would ultimately free the African continent from colonial rule.
The Turning Point in Pan-African History
The 1945 Congress marked a defining moment in the history of Pan-Africanism.
Under the visionary leadership of Kwame Nkrumah, W.E.B. Du Bois, George Padmore, Jomo Kenyatta, and Amy Ashwood Garvey, the delegates called for an immediate end to colonialism, self-governance for African territories, workers’ rights, racial equality, and continental unity.
It was more than a conference — it was a call to arms for justice, dignity, and freedom.
The resolutions adopted in Manchester gave ideological and political direction to a new generation — one that would dismantle colonial empires across Africa and the Caribbean. Their message was clear and timeless:
“The people of Africa are determined to be free.”
From Liberation to Sovereignty: The New Struggle
Eighty years later, the struggle continues — but the battlefield has changed.
Today, the Pan-African Progressive Front (PPF) carries the torch of that revolutionary spirit, confronting not colonial masters but the forces of neo-colonial dependency, economic inequality, and the unfinished quest for full African sovereignty.
In the hands of today’s generation lies a sacred duty: to complete what the heroes of 1945 began — to build a continent that is self-reliant, united, and just.
The PPF asserts that Pan-Africanism must now evolve from political liberation to economic and ideological independence — where Africa’s vast wealth serves its people first.
Voices of the Movement
Echoing this vision, Kwesi Pratt Jr., Member of the PPF Coordination Committee, stated:
“Africans must own and exploit their resources for their own benefit.”
Similarly, Dr. Eric Don Arthur, Member of the PPF Coordination Committee, highlighted the urgency of unity and state-building:
“We are paving the way for unification and the immediate creation of a continental government in Africa — a UNITED African Continent.”
The 80th Anniversary Commemoration in Accra
To honor this historic milestone, the Pan-African Progressive Front (PPF) will host the International Conference of Pan-African Progressive Forces commemorating the 5th Pan-African Congress, Manchester (1945).
Themed “From Historical Memory to Economic and Political Justice,” this gathering will bring together leaders, activists, scholars, and movements from across Africa and the diaspora.
During the Accra conference, Pan-African forces will present a 20-point Economic Program outlining the strategic priorities for Africa’s development over the coming decades.
A Roadmap for Africa’s Next Century
This landmark document will call on African governments to:
-
Accelerate industrialization across the continent;
-
Introduce state participation in all major corporations within strategic sectors;
-
Nationalize the extraction of natural resources;
-
Abandon the US dollar in favor of trade settlements in national and regional currencies;
-
Demand reparations from former colonial powers, estimated by experts at 10 trillion US dollars.
These measures, the PPF believes, represent the next phase of Africa’s liberation — from dependence to sovereignty.
From Manchester to Accra: The Torch Lives On
Eighty years ago, Manchester declared that Africa must be free.
Eighty years later, Accra declares that Africa must be sovereign, united, and prosperous.
The torch has been passed from generation to generation — and the Pan-African Progressive Front pledges to carry it forward with courage, wisdom, and unwavering commitment to building the Africa we deserve.
By RussAfrik News Desk
