Mahama calls for Africa's 'second liberation'

Ghana's President John Dramani Mahama has called for what he terms Africa’s ‘Second Liberation’, reports My Joy Online. In a reflective opinion piece, he juxtaposes historical moments of black resistance with the persistent legacy of economic apartheid. Mahama called out not only the distortions of history by global powers but also the urgent need for Africans to reclaim their narratives and resources in a new phase of self-determination. At the heart of Mahama’s essay is a critique of historical revisionism, most recently exemplified by US President Donald Trump’s unfounded claims of ‘white genocide’ in SA. The President views such rhetoric not as mere misinformation, but as a continuation of colonial violence through language. Mahama’s central thesis is that while Africa’s first liberation brought political independence, the economic structures of colonialism remain largely intact. Citing persistent racial and economic disparities in post-apartheid SA, where white South Africans, who constitute less than 10% of the population, still control over 70% of the wealth, Mahama argues that without reparative frameworks, the deep scars of oppression cannot heal. He notes the continued existence of separatist, whites-only enclaves like Orania and Kleinfontein, as symbols of economic exclusion and social segregation. ‘Economic justice cannot be achieved in isolation; African nations must once again unite – this time to dismantle the structural imbalances of trade, wealth distribution, and global power dynamics,’ he states.