Fellow Fighters for African Freedom, Ladies and Gentlemen, I am happy to be here this morning to say farewell to you and to congratulate you on the way you have shaped up to the heavy responsibilities set by the Conference agenda.
I am delighted to see so many people of African descent from abroad attending this Conference. Although, as I said in my opening speech, this is primarily an All-African People’s Conference, it has warmed us to see here so many of our brothers from across the sea. We take their presence here as a manifesta tion of the keen interest in our struggles for a free Africa. We must never forget that they are a part of us. These sons and daughters of Africa were taken away from our shores, and despite all the centuries which have separated us, they have not forgotten their ancestral links.
Many of them have made no small contribution to the cause of African freedom. Names which spring immediately to mind in this connection are those of Marcus Garvey and W. E. B. DuBois. Long before many of us were even conscious of our own degradation, these men fought for African national and racial equality.
Long may the links between Africa and peoples of African descent continue to hold us together in fraternity. Now that we in Africa are marching towards the complete emancipation of this Continent, our independent status will help in no small measure their efforts to attain full human rights and human dignity as citizens of their country.
As delegates started to pour into Accra just over a week ago, the whole world was wondering whether it would be possible for so many of you, coming from different parts of this Continent and speaking different tongues, to sink your individual differences and unite on a common programme. As the Conference has proceeded and I have had more opportunity of meeting you, I have drawn more and more pleasure from seeing the strengthen- ing among you of the desire not only for African freedom, but for unity between each other.
Whatever the world may have been thinking when they saw you all converging upon Accra, we have demonstrated to friend and foe that African peoples left to themselves can direct and manage then- own affairs. Our enemies no doubt thought that it would be possible to exploit our differences, but they have been sadly disappointed. You have displayed a maturity and responsibility worthy of the noble cause of African Freedom and Independence.
In many ways this Conference was much more difficult to organise and direct, because its scope and representation was so much greater, than that of the Accra Conference of Inde pendent African States. But you have risen to the occasion with dignity and tolerance and reconciled all points of view.
There is no doubt that the passionate desire for freedom, the burning aspiration to break the yoke of colonial slavery, the eagerness to seek our Independence Now, is the bond which draws us all closer and closer together. Indeed, we have gone beyond this stage and pointed the way towards the creation of unity among the different groups in the respective countries, so that you will go back and build a broad-based united front against the common enemy—Colonialism and Imperialism.
Source: Ghana National Archives
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