Africa: Most African Countries Do Not Recognise Africa Day · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Africa Day is the annual commemoration on May 25 of the 1963 founding of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) in Ethiopia. Public events have taken place in different parts of the world to honour this day. Bloggers and twitter users have also remembered this day by writing posts and tweets related to Africa Day 2009.
We are learning from Zambia Watchdog that only four countries in the SADC region recognise Africa Day as a public holiday:
Looking back, it seems like the unity demonstrated by Africans as they fought against colonialism and imperialistic dominance is no longer there. In some parts of the continent, leaders are so self-centred that continental issues have been relegated to the very bottom.
Is it not a shame that to this day, few African countries recognise Africa Day? Is it not a shame that very few countries on the continent have set aside this day as a public holiday? And what lessons does this teach the future generation?
Looking at the calendars of the 14-members of SADC, only four countries – Namibia, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe recognise Africa Day as a public holiday. In the SADC region, it is only Namibia which has made the singing of the AU anthem a permanent feature at public gatherings and in schools.
Jason Von Berg blogs about Africa Day related events that took place in South Africa:
So in celebration of Africa Day, there’s a whole host of things happening in South Africa. The annual Africa Day concert took place at the Mary Fitzgerald Square in Newtown, Johannesburg…
Now speaking of music videos, here is another Africa Day-focused one, in which Namibian artist Gazza has teamed up with SA star Zola on a song called “Hold On”. The song is sponsored by UNICEF and Standard Bank Namibia and it calls on all Africans to unite against the atrocities and conflicts that damages the African image…
The best way to celebrate Africa Day is through hard work, writes the Root Cause:
Being an African, and a part of a new generation of South Africans, I am forced to look north towards the rest of the continent, and wonder if it will ever rise out of the misery and sadness that keeps it from really being a part of the world community.
But at the same time I have this terrible problem of being an optimist by nature; I have this faith that this is Africa’s century. A time to be nurtured from within. Really making a go for it!
The Irish Aid supported Africa Day celebrations in Ireland. Culch.ie writes about events in Dublin:
On Sunday coming, 24th May, from 12pm til 8pm, Africa Day are having a FREE outdoor event in Iveagh Gardens in Dublin 2. There is a huge variety of entertainment on offer here for kids as well as adults
There is a Flickr stream of Africa Day 2009 photos in Ireland:
Bock posts “Africa Day Limerick”:
They’re crazy, these Africans.   What a shame they have to put up with Irish weather.
What a shame that any of us have to put up with Irish weather where it rains all the time.
Never mind though.
Africans have failed to learn key lessons about taking care of themselves, argues Angela Kintu in her post about Africa Day:
Africa has had a few tough decades with interference from our not-so-neighbourly neighbouring continents. And while the neighbours appear to be trying to make up for the bad times, conspiracy theories abound on how they are now colonising our minds since they no longer have legal access to our bodies. Maybe, maybe not. What is clear is that we have failed to learn key lessons about taking care of ourselves. We can be like penguins in a hole, looking up with our mouths open, waiting for someone to throw us a free fish.
In the twittersphere, the Irish Aid created a special Africa Day page.
Below are tweets that one finds on twitter about Africa Day:
NeoAid: There's more Africa than what usually makes headlines (poverty/AIDS/war/famine) – See Africa Differently this #africaday http://ow.ly/94cS
tsepeaces: Happy Africa Day! #africaday
NeoAid: If you happen to be in Ireland for #africaday, check out Irish Aid's celebrations at http://ow.ly/94aT or follow them @AfricaDay
neoaidcom: If you happen to be in Ireland for #africaday, check out Irish Aid's celebrations at http://ow.ly/94ay or follow them @AfricaDay
paoladm: #africaday hello a f r i c a ,http://www.london.gov.uk/mayor/culture/africaday/
NeoAid: Happy Africa Day everybody! http://ow.ly/94ak #africaday
neoaidcom: Happy Africa Day everybody! http://ow.ly/949K #africaday
loopyginee: RT @Devcrossing: RT @mulumba Happy Africa Day ma peoples! #africaday- And to you too!!!
micknsk: RT @negrita How good and how pleasant it would be/Before God and man/To see the unification of all Africans. Africa Unite #africaday