![\"UBA's](\"https:\/\/newmail-ng.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/IMG_4444-300x224.jpg\")
Opening the conversation, the Group Chairman, UBA, Tony Elumelu stated \u2018UBA understands the past- that Africa as a continent has always been united by the struggle for identity. UBA is a symbol for the development of Africa, for the economic empowerment of our people, the Small and Medium Enterprises as well as the big corporations. Thus, identifying with Africa and indeed Africa Day is synonymous with who we are as a bank. It presents us the opportunity to remind ourselves, the world and indeed Africa that we owe ourselves the duty of making Africa the continent of our dreams.\u201d<\/p>\n
Elumelu added that it is important for Africans to remember history as this will help prepare for the future. \u2018Our past provides a veritable tool to fashioning the continent\u2019s development, renaissance and economic growth\u2019 he emphasised.<\/p>\n
Speaking strongly on the issue, professor Wole Soyinka, who commended UBA\u2019s initiative for opening up discussions on these pressing topics decried the growing erosion of history from the curriculum in African schools, adding that the lack of knowledge of our past makes children\u2019s growth on the continent truncated. \u201cHow can we cope with the modern phenomenon if we do not know the past? We should never forget the importance of history as it is not just an academic exercise,\u201d he enthused.<\/p>\n
Corroborating Soyinka\u2019s position, Professor Niane opined that reminiscing about Africa\u2019s rich history is important as there is no people without history. He said, \u201cA lot of work has been done by Africans and we have to be happy about it. There is the need to continue the conversation about African unity. Policies have been put in place and our democracy can only get stronger. Peace will reign and Africa will be reunited. Economic transformation is also important but it is not the only thing we should concentrate on.\u201d<\/p>\n
Samia Nkrumah, the daughter of Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana, who commended UBA for prioritising African entrepreneurship, called for a renewed attempt at African unity, which according to her, has to be a collective effort of the people.<\/p>\n
Nkrumah said, \u201cAs we work in our individual smaller countries, it will be easier to achieve more if we work together and complete unification can only come if we work together; we won\u2019t go anywhere unless we use unity as a political project.\u2019 She added.<\/p>\n
On his part, Femi Kuti emphasised the importance of History, saying \u201cOur children need to learn this history so that they can come up and build the continent. We need everyone \u2013 both boys and girls to work towards this vision.\u201d<\/p>\n
The UBA Conversations, an initiative of the Pan African financial institution, aims at aggregating discussions necessary for the growth and development of the continent. It is being held as part of the activities to mark the 2019 edition of Africa Day celebrations by the bank.<\/p>\n
With presence in 20 African countries as well as in the United States, France and The United Kingdom, UBA\u2019s passion for Africa\u2019s growth is part of who they are.<\/p>\n
The bank is set to continue conversations around these important topics that are required to galvanise the African economy with the aim of attracting the much needed support that will boost SMEs and support business growth on the continent. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
African leading minds have called on Africans to be mindful of their rich history, which according to them creates the path towards the socio-cultural, economic and political development of the continent The strong African voices which included Group Chairman, United Bank for Africa (UBA), Tony Elumelu, Nobel Laureate, Wole Soyinka; Professor emeritus and authority in […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":103176,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,15,2,4],"tags":[40073,9982,8148,872,871],"yoast_head":"\n