During the 37th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the Heads of State and Government of the African Union (AU) on Sunday, African leaders revealed a life-size statue of the late Tanzanian President, Mwalimu Julius Nyerere.
The statue now stands proudly at the African Union’s headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Nyerere, acclaimed for his pivotal role in establishing the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), a precursor to the current AU formed in 2002, is also recognised as one of the founding figures of the Southern African Development Community (SADC)
“Mwalimu Julius Nyerere’s statue recognizes his contribution to African liberation, unity and peace, and manifests our pride in our heritage,” Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan said ahead of the unveiling ceremony.
Nyerere’s sculpture is the third statue erected on the premises of the AU headquarters next to the late Emperor of Ethiopia, Haile Selassie, and the late Ghanaian President, Kwame Nkrumah.
“None of us can have permanent prosperity without a prosperous Africa. It is true to say our uniqueness matches our inter-dependence and therefore complementing political liberation with economic transformation is important for our future to be secured,” Hassan said.
Present at the unveiling ceremony were Angolan President Joao Lourenco, Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, and Chairperson of the AU Commission Moussa Faki Mahamat.
“It is with great pleasure that I welcome you to this ceremony for one of Africa’s most iconic figures, Mwalimu Julius Nyerere. The legacy of this remarkable leader encapsulates the essence of pan-Africanism, profound wisdom, and service to Africa,” Faki said.
The Chairperson of the AU Commission highlighted Nyerere’s pioneering contribution to the creation of the OAU in 1963, a significant milestone in the quest for African unity.
The sculpture, crafted, assembled, and transported to the AU headquarters, was a collaborative effort involving the SADC, Nyerere’s family, and the Tanzanian government.
