Also, during the meeting, Minister P.D. Menelik Harris passionately urged the support for Africa Sunday on Sunday May 26, 2013, declaring that “The Black congregations have a responsibility and an opportunity to continue the legacy of those like Rev. Dr. Ndugu T’Ofori-Atta for the union and full liberation of Africa and Africans during Africa Year.” The leaders were reminded that May 25 will mark the 50^th anniversary of the launching of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) on May 25, 1963, now the African Union (AU) and stressed that the AU as a Pan African organization has the greatest responsibility for the freedom of a ll Africans, worldwide. The AU, headquartered in Ethiopia, is also urging all Africans across the world to honor the 50^th anniversary with activities under the theme “Pan Africanism and the African Renaissance.” 

 

 

He noted the AU chair Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma stating that “Africans, from within and outside the continent, must pay tribute to those who planted the seeds of Panafricanism for us and paved the way for a united, prosperous and peaceful Africa.” Minister Menelik highlighted the role of his mentor the late Dr. T’Ofori-Atta’s contributions to the liberation of Africa, including supporting the founding of both the All Africa Conference of Churches (AACC) in April 1963 and the Organization of African Unity (OAU) in May 1963.

 

 

He mentioned that Dr. Atta had volunteered and served as a priest and instructor in the Congo-Zaire during this critical juncture in history when both instruments were established to lead the African liberation movement. Dr. Atta also served as Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Fellow, professor at the Interdenominational Theological Center (ITC) and a people’s pastor. He was one of the top Pan African advocate within the last 50 years of the African liberation movement with others including Dr. Dudley Thompson, Kwame Ture, Elombe Brath and Dr. John Henrik Clarke.

 

 

Menelik asserted that faith leaders across the world can ensure the success of Africa Year by promoting: 1. African heritage, culture and history in their congregations and communities; 2. Advocacy actions for the greater union of African people and the establishment of a Pan African government in Africa, to help protect African people and resources; and 3. The AU Legacy Projects to foster a high level of growth of businesses across the African Diaspora for an economy of scale focusing on harnessing and building skills, capital, markets, and investments to achieve African sustainable development. In Georgia, WADUGA is launching a Pan African Diaspora Common Market Summit in May 2014 to link Diaspora markets with Africa.

 

 

Minister Menelik is the current Secretary General of WADU and has worked under the leadership of Dr. Atta, Rev. Dr. Wyatt Tee Walker and Kwame Ture on major Africa related issues such as the anti-apartheid-freedom movements, Nigerian democracy movement, Debt Cancelation, development assistance for Africa and U.S.-Africa trade relations. By 2004, he began partnering with other leaders to craft a plan for Pan Africanism in the 21^st century. Leaders such as Dr. Atta, Baba Muksasa Dada, Joe Beasley, Elombe Brath, Dr. Leonard Jeffries, James Small, John Watusi Branch, Mother Sybil W. Clarke, Dr. Shelby Lewis and Ambassador Dudley Thompson were engaged in unity of actions for the union of Africans. The plan was also to counter what the great Elombe Brath desc ribed by the late 1990’s as a “new scramble to re-colonize Africa.” The result was the creation of the World African Diaspora Union (WADU).