Africa Day 2025: Traditional Leader Calls for Internal Renewal and Global Justice for African Descendants

By Admin

As nations across the continent commemorate Africa Day 2025, leaders and institutions have renewed their call for unity, justice, and the full restoration of African dignity. In a powerful message marking the occasion, HIH Prince Estifanos Matewos, President of the United Africa Royal Assembly and Pan-African Parliament Ambassador for Traditional Affairs and Governance, urged Africans to rise above political division, economic stagnation, and social fragmentation to fulfil the vision of the continent’s founding heroes.

In a media statement released from Johannesburg, Prince Estifanos reflected on the historical weight of Africa Day, which marks the formation of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) on May 25, 1963—an event that symbolized a collective dream for a free, united, and self-determined Africa.

“This year’s theme, ‘Justice and Reparations for People of African Descent’, calls on us not only to remember the past, but to take action toward healing the future,” he stated. “We must repair ourselves from within, confront the consequences of centuries of exploitation and displacement, and ensure our systems serve the people, not power.”

Prince Estifanos lamented that many African nations still face deep-rooted challenges, including governance failures, tribal divisions, and economic systems that leave millions of youth unemployed and disillusioned. “Africa’s house is not yet in order,” he said. “We cannot invite our brothers and sisters in the diaspora to return if we have not yet built a home worthy of return.”

He further called for Pan-Africanism to move beyond symbolism. “It must become a living commitment—reflected in how we treat one another across borders, tribes, and languages,” he said. “True reparations begin with internal justice and unity.”

Africa Day has evolved beyond its historical roots to become a day of cultural pride, political reflection, and international solidarity. Across the continent and among diaspora communities, this year’s celebrations include cultural exhibitions, youth forums, educational seminars, and calls for reparation movements aimed at addressing historical injustices.

While acknowledging past progress made through the African Union and regional blocs, the UARA President emphasized that the current generation bears the responsibility to continue the work left unfinished by the continent’s founders.

“We have no second home,” he concluded. “Africa is ours to heal, to defend, to build, and to restore.”