Addis Ababa: The Statue of former Tanzanian President Julius Nyerere has been unveiled inside the Headquarters of the African Union Commission (AUC) in Addis Ababa today.

Julius Nyerere, who is known as the “Father of Tanzania”, is one of the most prominent figures in the struggle for the independence of African countries from colonial rule.

The statue of Nyerere has been erected in the compound of AU Headquarters at the Julius Nyerere Peace and Security Building.

The statue was unveiled today at a side event of the 37th African Union summit, which is currently taking place in Addis Ababa.

In attendance were Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, African Union Chairperson, Moussa Faki Mahamat, African Union Current Chairperson Mohamed Ould Ghazouani, Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan, as well as leaders of various African countries, officials of regional institutions and other invited guests.

Nyerere fought for Tanzania (then Tanganyika) to leave the British colony by establishing a party called the Tanganyika
African Union.

The struggle bore fruit and Tanzania was got independence in 1961 and Nyerere became the first president of Tanzania in 1964.

Julius Kambarage Nyerere was one of Africa’s leading independence heroes and leading light behind the creation of the Organization of African Unity.

He was the architect of ujamaa, an African socialist philosophy which revolutionized Tanzania’s agricultural system and he served his country as president until 1985.

Julius Nyerere is known for his famous saying, ‘Without unity, there is no future for Africa.’

Two other statues of Ghanaian Pan-Africanist Kwame Nkrumah and Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia were inaugurated in 2019 and 2012 respectively

Source: Ethiopian News Agency