PROJECT AFRICAN AWARENESS (PAA): OMOTADE Isaac Adekunle

Project African Awareness (PAA) was founded by OMOTADE Isaac Adekunle on the 1st of October 2024 with three objectives, i.e., consciencism, unity, and power.

On the First Day of October, in the Year 2024, a seed was sown by Comrade Omotade Isaac Adekunle (OIA), giving rise to the movement known as Project African Awareness (PAA).

Guided by the sacred triad of ideals—Consciencism, Unity, and Power— PAA stands as a beacon for the awakening of African consciousness, the forging of unbreakable bonds among its people, and the reclamation of power rooted in heritage, purpose, and pride.

PROJECT AFRICAN AWARENESS This is a project set up to foster the reawakening of the consciousness of the minds of Africans across the globe by sharing our authentic histories with a clear understanding that a people without their history are like trees with no roots.

CONSCIENCISM:
One of our great ancestors, Pan-Africanist leader, first president of the black race, and co-founder of the then Organization Of African Unity (OAU), Kwame Osagyefo Nkrumah was the first to use this terminology (consciencism) to describe the approach to our unique political, social-economic, and psychological issues in Africa.

Kwame Nkrumah’s “Consciencism: Philosophy and Ideology for De-colonization” presents a philosophical framework and ideology aimed at decolonizing Africa, affirming its identity, and fostering its development. Nkrumah’s personal philosophy provided the intellectual foundation for his political actions and the broader African revolution.

Consciencism aims to create a new African identity by harmonizing the continent’s traditional, Islamic, and Euro-Christian influences, with a primary focus on its egalitarian and communal African roots. Nkrumah saw philosophy as a tool for social and political change, and he used Consciencism as a philosophical justification for anti-colonialism. The core tenets of this ideology include the promotion of a unified, self-reliant, and socialist Africa, free from imperialist and neo-colonial forces. Consciencism advocates for a holistic approach to development that goes beyond economics to encompass social justice and pan-African unity, ultimately seeking the economic and political emancipation of the continent.

UNITY
Our Vision of Unity
At Project African Awareness, we see unity not as becoming one but as coming together as a team. We believe that for African people to overcome their struggles and achieve political freedom, they must unite for a common cause. It’s only when the people rise collectively that the individual will rise. For Africa to be respected globally, its nations must first rise together.

We hold the profound belief that until Africa is truly great, no Black person anywhere in the world is truly safe. And until individual African countries like Nigeria are safe and stable, no Nigerian can be truly safe.

The unification of Africa must first begin with inclusivity. We are taking a unique approach to this goal. While many believe in immediate integration, we’ve found that people are naturally conservative and protective of their own. Therefore, we believe “INCLUSION” must be the foundation of our unity. We can’t simply jump into integration. We must first take the time to understand and respect each other’s cultures, values, and traditions. Once we have a stable foundation built on this understanding, we can then take the next step toward true integration.
The unity of Africa is too important to wait for our current political leaders or organizations like the African Union to achieve. We, the people of Africa, must be willing to make this happen. Without African unity and the political freedom that comes with it—similar to that enjoyed by countries in the European Union—we will never have true economic freedom.

POWER
Democracy’s true meaning is often misunderstood. While the traditional definition—”government of the people, by the people, and for the people”—is well known, it often fails to connect with the average person especially in Africa.

In August 2022, we conducted a survey in Lagos, Nigeria where we asked about 50 young street hawkers across various neighbourhoods if they could define democracy. Only one person was able to give the traditional definition, and even he struggled to explain what it truly meant. This experience showed us that the common definition of democracy is not enough. It doesn’t clearly communicate the power that people hold in a democratic society.

At Project African Awareness, our mission is to provide a clearer, more concise understanding of democracy: Power belongs to the people.

We believe that a deep understanding of this principle is the first step toward empowering people to use their influence for the common good. We aim to educate our communities, helping them to effectively apply their democratic power.

Our approach is built on a simple philosophy:
▪ To educate the people is to raise their consciousness.
One of our strategic models on the aspect of education is to introduce schools and public debates among African youths.
▪ For people to use their power effectively, they must be unified.
▪ To unify the people is to organize the people.

ORGANIZING THE PEOPLE
While Project African Awareness does not directly organize political groups, we recognize that we can not discuss unity without also addressing the need for organization. We believe that a key part of raising public awareness is preparing people to take an active role in society. This means encouraging them to become contributing members of social movements or political organizations.

Before people can be organized, they must be allowed to speak freely. Our idea of allowing people to speak freely during struggle and mental emancipation was a path we took in the understanding that it is only through talking first that we can have a clear path to organizing. According to Comrade OIA,

“It is in the talking of it that will birth the communication of it. It is in the communication of it that will pave the way for the planning of it, and it is in the planning of it that will give rise to the organization for it. ” – OiA

At Project African Awareness, we believe that true organization starts with honest conversation and open dialogue. It’s in the sharing of these conversations that ideas are communicated, plans are developed, and real organization can begin. Only when people are organized can they be effectively mobilized for a cause.

Finally, Project African awareness aims at the reawakening of African consciousness through sharing authentic African histories, educating African people about Pan-Africanism, and ultimately pushing for a unified Africa.

WRITTEN BY: OMOTADE ISAAC ADEKUNLE (OIA)