Thoughts on African Solutions to an African Security Issue: Bring Back Our Girls!

A great example of African disunity is the fact that extremists can kill indiscriminately by setting off suicide bombs and get away with mass murder by slipping like commandos into man-made porous borders shared by Nigeria and its neighbors Chad and Cameroon.
An African Solution to this African national security issue is the creation of a Union of African states which will quintessentially create an African military.
The African Union's fourth objective in its charter is to 'Promote and defend African common positions on issues of interest to the continent and its peoples;' Hence like what African nationalist Nkwame Nkrumah advocated for half a century ago stands true today.
An African army is necessary to defend Africa as a whole from any inside or outside threat.

The greatest contribution that Africa can make to the peace of the world is to avoid all the dangers inherent in disunity, by creating a political union which will also by its success, stand as an example to a divided world.
A Union of African states will project more effectively the African personality.
It will command respect from a world that has regard only for size and influence.
~Kwame Nkrumah, Pan African Leader, 1st President of Ghana, I Speak of Freeedom,1909-1972~

African icon Madiba, Nelson Mandela's dream of an Africa that is at peace with itself is very much alive and possible, this means an Africa without civil wars, tribal or religious slayings.
Indeed, it would mean an end to coup de tats.
A united Africa means an Africa that does not tolerate terrorism, colonialism, or piracy.
This is only possible with a unified, well trained professional African Army.
A new lens is needed for Continental Africa that is in a state of a union and not just individual countries.
What we need to realize is that when one African nation suffers, all African nations suffer.
That essentially, is what Pan-Africanism entailed when in 1963 African leaders Nkwame Nkrumah, Haile Selassie, and Julius Nyerere where on the forefront on the creation of the Organization of African Unity (OAU).
The ultimate goal was to create African unity, however 51 years later the African Union (AU)'s current initiative for continental unity is un-inspiringly and embarrassingly called Agenda 2063.
This equates to a lazy bunch that neither has Africa at its heart nor cares for Africa's posterity.
The kidnapping of the Nigerian girls is a security issue taking place in 2014 of all times, even President Goodluck Jonathan and his aides could not step into the scene of the horrific attacks because of security fears.
Imagine the mothers and fathers who have to endure the feeling of being left alone by your own government to fend and defend yourself against a terrorist group.
After a month when all eyes were on Africa did President Jonathan beg the French President to organize an emergence meeting, in Paris of all places.
Again, why was the AU not on the forefront chairing and leading the cause? The onus is on the Africans as a whole to reconfigure the African Union (AU) into a Union of Africa (UA) that serves and defends all Africans.
A common sense solution to this common African security issue is simple the integration of all security forces to form one cohesive African defense mechanism: - an African Army - African Central Intelligence (ACI) - African Police - African Navy -African Reserve -African Air-force This is a simple African security solution to an African issue.
How many tissues should our mothers and fathers go through for us to measure the tears that have streamed through their eyes? How many African girls' dreams are shattered and simple stolen by a group of militias, religious misunderstanding and miseducation? This security solution goes hand in glove with the solution of education.
Boko Haram is a 5-year-old Islamic uprising has claimed thousands of Muslims and Christians.
Boko Haram means "Western education is sinful," thus they are trying to root out Western influence by targeting schools, churches, mosques, government buildings and security forces.
This group sets up suicide bombs in busy centers and escape by scattering through the porous borders into Cameroon, Chad and other surrounding neighbors.
What does this mean? This is an issue that affects not only Nigeria but her neighbors and the rest of Africa.
The long unworthy borders need to be such that is does not matter which side of Africa you are in, African security law will be continental.
At the Paris Summit that was aimed at hammering out a plan to rescue the 276 girls, President Jonathan only reluctantly accepted outside help after years of insisting that Boko Haram was a local problem.
Our leaders ought to learn from past mistakes, that there are no more local problems but African issues.
A loss of one African girl is a loss to every African mother and father.
A paradigm shift is needed to fully comprehend this concept that stems from the root of the African value called 'Ubuntu'.
The girls have to be brought back home and be allowed the opportunity to pursue and live their African dreams.
Why should Africa allow their dreams to be stolen? Neither should we allow the terrorists to get away with it.
The creation of an African security force is needed today more than ever.
African leaders cannot afford to keep procrastinating about African Unity, it is their duty to be pro-active and get rid of the colonial borders.
Let Africans be truly free so they can think outside their borders, innovate, and most importantly celebrate.
#bringbackourgirls