Africa Day: The Lingual Journey Toward Unity

Each year on May 25, Africa Day invites us to pause and celebrate the rich tapestry of cultures, histories, and aspirations that bind the children of this great continent. But beyond the vibrant colours, rhythms, and flavours lies a deeper, more poignant story- a story of words wielded as weapons and of silence imposed upon entire peoples. As we commemorate the founding of the Organisation of African Unity in 1963, we must also reflect on language’s role in shaping our past, fracturing our present, and, ultimately, its potential to forge an enduring pan-African future.

Language as an Instrument of Colonisation
From the moment European colonisers set foot on African shores, language was among their first tools of subjugation. Imposed curricula, penal codes, and religious tracts in foreign tongues systematically erased indigenous idioms and oral traditions. In West Africa, French schools sought to produce “évolués” who would carry the colonial narrative forward; in East Africa, English-language administration consigned Kiswahili and hundreds of local languages to the margins; in southern Africa, Portuguese, Afrikaans, and English succeeded in silencing Khoisan click languages and Nguni dialects alike.

This linguistic assault did more than undermine cultural pride- it seeded divisions among communities. Words became markers of “citizen” and “subject,” of “educated” and “illiterate,” of “us” versus “them.” By privileging European tongues, colonial powers entrenched hierarchies that persist today, as fluency in a foreign language too often remains the passport to opportunity.

Lingua Franca or Fragmentation? Language in Contemporary Africa
Decades after independence, many African nations continue to operate officially in the languages of their former colonisers. Bureaucracies, universities, and courts frequently default to these foreign languages, alienating vast segments of the population who speak only local tongues. Equally concerning is how language politics can fuel discord: debates over mandatory language-forced education have illuminated rifts between urban elites and rural communities, between regions with distinct linguistic traditions, and even between generations.

Yet, amid these challenges, a quiet renaissance of indigenous languages is stirring. Community radio stations broadcast in mother tongues; writers and poets embrace local vernaculars; social- media activists tweet in Yoruba, Amharic, isiXhosa, and more. These grassroots efforts remind us that language need not be a wedge but can instead serve as a bridge.

Kiswahili: A Pan-African Vision
Among the contenders for continental harmonisation, Kiswahili stands out – not as an enforced replacement of local identities, but as an aspirational second tongue. Born centuries ago from the interplay of Bantu-speaking communities, Arab traders, and seafaring merchants along the East African coast, Kiswahili has become a living testament to cultural exchange and resilience.

Today, Kiswahili is spoken by over 100 million Africans across Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mozambique, and beyond. It functions seamlessly alongside local dialects, enriching rather than erasing them. By elevating Kiswahili as a common second language (much as English is to India or Mandarin is to China), we can unlock unprecedented people-to-people ties from Dakar to Durban and Casablanca to Kampala.

A shared language would revolutionise intra-African exchange. University collaborations could flourish without translation hurdles; entrepreneurs could pitch ideas to cross-border investors in a lingua franca they all understand; artists could tour widely, their lyrics touching hearts without subtitles. Tourists exploring Timbuktu or Thimphu might navigate comfortably, interacting with hosts in a familiar tongue. Moreover, a pan-African language can amplify collective advocacy. From climate policy summits to trade negotiations, a unifying voice in Kiswahili would reinforce our continental identity, ensuring that African solutions to African challenges are crafted and communicated by Africans themselves.

Importantly, championing Kiswahili does not mean abandoning the continent’s extraordinary linguistic mosaic. On the contrary, it affirms our right to mother tongues- shaping classrooms where children learn foundational skills in their first language before adding Kiswahili as a unifying thread. It inspires digital platforms celebrating Swahili poetry alongside Wolof folktales and Tigrinya epics.

Conclusion: Toward a Language of Liberation
This Africa Day, let us honour the indomitable spirit of our forebears who defied the coloniser’s tongue and let us adopt a new path where language empowers, connects, and liberates. By weaving Kiswahili into the fabric of continental life—as government business, as academic medium, as art, and as everyday conversation—we take a vital step toward the Africa of our dreams: one in which every voice is heard, every story told, and every child raised to stand proudly as both an individual and a citizen of the whole African family. May the words we speak be the bonds that free us.