Professor P. L. O. Lumumba calls for African economic independence

Professor P. L. O. Lumumba, a Kenyan legal scholar and Pan-Africanist, has called for African nations to return to the fundamental visions of Kwame Nkrumah to achieve true economic independence. Speaking at the Padmore-Du Bois-Nkrumah Memorial Lecture in Accra, Lumumba argued that Africa’s continued reliance on Western powers and international financial institutions is unsustainable.

Lumumba criticized the continent's tendency to react to the interests of various global powers, describing African leaders as moving like a “proverbial yo-yo” between the West, Russia, and other nations. He suggested that African finance ministers should study Nkrumah’s works deeply to understand the necessity of self-reliance and continental unity.

To overcome economic subjugation, Lumumba emphasized the need for organized regional efforts, such as developing internal electricity generation, establishing working airlines, processing raw materials like cotton and animal skins locally, and conducting independent research within African universities. He noted that current challenges, including approximately 50 active conflicts on the continent, continue to obstruct economic progress.