Envisioning the United States of Africa: A Road Towards Unity in Ouagadougou

The following excerpt is a chapter from my novel, *The United States of Africa*. “I aim to illustrate how African Unity, achievable only through the defeat of neocolonialism, can significantly elevate African living standards.” — Kwame Nkrumah. Since Patrice Lumumba's 1961 assassination, global protests for African leadership had surged, echoing during the April 2025 threats against Burkina Faso's Captain Ibrahim Traore by U.S. General Michael Langley. Lumumba’s murder incited worldwide demonstrations, a response to colonial manipulation by Belgium and the U.S. Fast forward to present times, Traore faced similar pressures as he challenged foreign dominance over Burkina Faso’s resources. Referencing recent political shifts in Mali and Niger, Pan-Africanists viewed this moment as critical. They rallied in major cities, declaring solidarity with Traore and demanding African unity, leading to a historic conference in Ouagadougou aimed at uniting the continent on February 16, 2026, invoking its revolutionary past. This pivotal juncture may signal the dawn of a new African era.