Africa Day 2025: UARA President Urges Unity, Justice, and Homegrown Reparations.
By Caroline Ameh
As the African continent marks Africa Day 2025, a passionate call for justice, unity, and internal reform has been made by His Imperial Highness Prince Estifanos Matewos, President of the United Africa Royal Assembly (UARA) and Pan-African Parliament Ambassador for Traditional Affairs and Governance.
In a press statement released on Saturday, Prince Estifanos urged African leaders and citizens alike to reflect not only on the progress of the past six decades but also on the unfinished business of African liberation, development, and unity.
“This year’s theme, ‘Justice and Reparations for People of African Descent’, compels us to confront the scars left by centuries of exploitation, displacement, and colonial fragmentation,” he said. “But beyond reflection, it is a moment to recommit to rebuilding our continent from within.”
Africa Day, celebrated annually on May 25, commemorates the founding of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) in 1963, now the African Union (AU). It is a day that celebrates African identity, cultural heritage, and the ongoing quest for political and economic freedom across the continent. Events across Africa and the diaspora this year include cultural showcases, academic panels, and youth forums centred on justice, sovereignty, and Pan-African solidarity.
Speaking from Johannesburg, Prince Estifanos emphasized that many African governments remain plagued by internal dysfunction—division, tribalism, and systemic failures that continue to deny dignity and opportunity to millions.
“We cannot speak of unity or invite our brothers and sisters in the diaspora to return home if we have not yet built a home worthy of return,” he said. “Too many of our youth are jobless, not for lack of talent, but because of broken systems that prioritize power over people.”
The UARA President urged African leaders to go beyond rhetorical Pan-Africanism and adopt concrete steps toward integration, institutional reform, and citizen-centered governance. He cautioned against repeating past mistakes, where lofty ideals masked internal decay or served narrow political interests.
“True justice and reparations require more than external recognition—they demand internal accountability,” he said. “Africa must stand united not only in slogans but in structure, vision, and governance.”
Prince Estifanos concluded by encouraging Africans to use this year’s celebration not only to honour the past but to take decisive steps toward a future built on truth, justice, and self-reliance.
“We have no second home. Africa is ours to heal, to defend, to build, and to restore, so that future generations inherit a continent we were bold enough to fix,” he declared.
Africa Day 2025 comes at a time when many across the continent are re-evaluating national and regional priorities in the face of youth unemployment, migration, insecurity, and calls for historical reparations from former colonial powers.
The United Africa Royal Assembly, under Prince Estifanos’ leadership, continues to advocate for a values-driven renaissance rooted in traditional governance, cultural unity, and inter-African cooperation.
