Congratulating Madame Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma as the new Chair of the African Union (AU) as a fighter for Pan Africanism, Dr. Leonard Kweku Jeffries is urging the new Chairwoman to continue the legacy of our late legendary and beloved President Ambassador Dudley Thompson in championing the work for the African Diaspora union with Africa. Dr. Jeffries, the President of the World African Diaspora Union (WADU) spoke at the WADU Pan African Movement Leadership & Community forum July 20-21, 2012 in Washington, D.C.

Dr. Leonard Jeffries is an iconic Pan African intellectual and activist who with some of the great minds of the 20^th century ushered in the era of Black Studies to reclaim the history, heritage, and ancient classical traditions of African people. Their body of intellectual work today is now an integral part of the African Union long term agenda called the African Renaissance.

Some of these intellectual giants are Dr. John Henrik Clarke, Dr. Ben Jochannan, Dr. Cheik Anta Diop, Dr. Wade Nobles, Dr. Tony Martin, Dr. Marimba Ani, Dr. Asa Hilliard, Chancellor Williams, Dr. Malauna Karenga, Dr. John Mbiti, Dr. Walter Rodney, Dr. Ndugu T’Ofori-Atta, Dr. Molefi Asante, etc.

Additional presenters at the WADU annual gathering were Dr. Georgina Falu, Chair of the African Union Diaspora Task Team (AUDITT) and member of WADU Executive; Nana Yaa Farika, WADU Commissioner representative of the Rastafari Movement and the Maroons; Mr. Boubacar Diop, Africa Advocate of Guinea Conakry; Baba D. Lumumba, leader of the Pan Africanist nationalist movement, WDC;  Louis Nur Moore, Pan African Entrepreneur; and Baba John Watusi Branch, Pan African businessman and a member of the Executive Council of WADU. The public forum also consisted of other community activists, business leaders, educators, ministers, and students.

Baba John Watusi Branch opened the forum with the warning of the global scramble for African resources and impressed upon Africans to rally in support of Africa in the spirit and work of those like Dudley Thompson, Dr. John Henrik Clarke and Marcus Garvey. Nana Farika asserted the importance of the recent historic May 26, 2012 agreement with the African Union in South Africa to unite all Africans as pivotal and unprecedented. 

Dr. Falu followed by calling for the “mobilization of African Diaspora resources for economic partnership with the African Union” for the empowerment of Black people, worldwide.” Mr. Boubakar urged Africans in the Diaspora to return Home to Africa to relearn their African tradition and to establish businesses in Africa. 

Baba Lumumba cautioned WADU of those promoting businesses in Africa with an agenda of furthering the re-colonization of Africa. At the closing, Minister P.D. Menelik urged everyone to take leadership in the movement to make the 21^st century a period for African economic empowerment and asserted that only those who are culturally and politically integrated can authentically lead Africa in the 21^st century.

The WADU annual Washington forum is part of its “Decade for Development” community meeting to promote economic self-reliance, strengthening the Diaspora relationship with Africa, promote a union of federated Africa and harnessing the African Diaspora economic power.

On issues regarding the attacks and crises in African states especially Mali, everyone is asked to participate in the campaign to stop destruction of Mali by supporting the petition at http://www.change.org/petitions/president-united-nations-security-council-authorize-au-ecowas-to-protect-unesco-sites-people-in-timbuktu-gao.  Most importantly, WADU continues to urge Africans everywhere to pressure the AU to build an immediate Pan African government with a union military, federated monetary policy and one continental trading block.

The next major WADU Pan African Forum will be in NYC with AUDITT in September and the Pan African Congress anniversary forum in October. Those who are interested in working with WADU to unite the African Diaspora with Africa, please contact WADU Chief Secretariat Baba John Watusi Branch at 718-523-3312 or visit our website at WADUPAM.ORG for more information.