The life of a child in Gidado must matter as much as the comfort of a president in Yaoundé. Ambazonia stands ready to contribute to a new African future—but only as a free, sovereign, and equal partner. The choice before the African Union is simple: evolve into a union of the people, or remain a structure of the past.
By Timothy Enongene, Guest Editor-in-Chief, The Independentistnews
For decades, the African Union has functioned less as a union of African peoples and more as a protective club for political elites. While its headquarters in Addis Ababa projects the image of modern governance, its internal logic often reflects an older, more troubling philosophy: the protection of incumbency and regime stability above all else. For communities such as those in Ambazonia, who have endured sustained violence and displacement while continental institutions remained largely silent, this is not simply a political failure—it is a humanitarian one.
If Africa is to make meaningful progress, it must rethink what continental unity is meant to serve. The European Union offers an imperfect but instructive comparison. Its strength does not come from flawless governance, but from a foundational principle: integration exists primarily to protect the rights, dignity, and welfare of citizens—not merely the authority of governments.
A Union of Regimes, Not of People
The central weakness of the current AU structure lies in its rigid interpretation of “non-interference.” In practice, this principle has often functioned as a shield for governments rather than a safeguard for citizens. When states commit violence against their own populations—as witnessed in Ngarbuh, Egbekaw, and Gidado—continental silence becomes normalized under the language of sovereignty.
This has created a system of mutual political protection. Leaders hesitate to hold one another accountable, not out of principle, but out of fear that accountability would one day reach them as well. The result is a diplomatic culture that prioritizes regime survival over human security.
In the case of the Federal Republic of Ambazonia, the AU has repeatedly avoided addressing the root political causes of the conflict, instead defaulting to the preservation of inherited colonial borders. When institutional stability is valued more than human life and self-determination, a union ceases to serve its people and becomes a fortress for power.
The European Lesson: The Citizen at the Center
The European Union demonstrates a different organizing logic: the citizen is the primary unit of legitimacy. A citizen in Estonia holds the same fundamental protections as one in Germany. When member states violate core human rights frameworks, consequences follow—legal, financial, and political.
A citizen-centered African Union would require similar structural commitments:
A Supranational Justice System with Authority
Africa needs judicial institutions that function beyond symbolism. When national courts fail to act, continental mechanisms must have the authority to intervene. Justice cannot remain hostage to domestic political interests.
Economic Integration That Serves Ordinary People
True integration should benefit farmers, traders, students, and workers—not only corporations and political elites. Free movement and market access must reduce exploitation, not multiply checkpoints and extortion systems.
Governance Standards with Real Consequences
Membership in a continental union must be conditional on basic democratic and human rights standards. Unity cannot coexist with systemic repression. A community cannot be built on the normalization of violence.
Ambazonia’s Vision: Sovereignty within Solidarity
Ambazonia’s pursuit of sovereignty is not a rejection of African unity. It is a call for a different kind of unity—one built on equality rather than absorption, and partnership rather than domination. No union can be stable when one party claims ownership over another’s identity, territory, and political future. Genuine integration requires free and equal partners. The European model works not because its members are identical, but because their sovereignty is respected.
Ambazonia seeks participation in a continental future that honors borders, identities, and self-governance—where cooperation is voluntary, and solidarity is built on consent rather than coercion.
Conclusion: From a Presidential Club to a People’s Union
As Africa moves deeper into this decade, the era of elite-centered continentalism must give way to people-centered governance. The African Union must transform from a shield for power into an instrument of justice. From an institution that manages crises, into one that prevents them.
A reformed AU should represent the market women, the teachers, the youth, the displaced, and the forgotten—not only the presidents and ministries. It should measure success not by diplomatic summits, but by human safety, dignity, and opportunity.
The life of a child in Gidado must matter as much as the comfort of a president in Yaoundé. Ambazonia stands ready to contribute to a new African future—but only as a free, sovereign, and equal partner. The choice before the African Union is simple: evolve into a union of the people, or remain a structure of the past.
Timothy Enongene, Guest Editor-in-Chief, The Independentistnews
