Power of Language, Language of Power: An Analysis of the Im/possibilities of African Unity through An African Standardized Regional Language

Abstract

Today, to be in a powerful position in the world requires being part of a regional or international union(s). European nations have, for many decades, worked hard to integrate almost all European nation-states into a Regional Union. Their efforts have been translated in the establishment of a strong and influential European Union. Likewise, Latin American, Asian and African nation-states have been trying to engage in regional unions to be active members in the international community. However, as long as these unions have succeeded, to different degrees, to establish some common grounds at the political and economic (even at the military level) grounds to solidify their unions, they have failed to reach the same sort of unity at the linguistic level. This paper analyses various proposals by African writers and thinkers regarding the best way of uniting African nations-states and societies through adoption of a given African language as a Lingua Franca. In revisiting these proposals, this paper structures its line of analysis around the following central question: Can language be an integrating determinant for African Unity? Keywords : Unity, Integration, Linguistic Counter-strategies, colonial language