The Executive Director of the W.E.B. Du Bois Museum Foundation, Japhet Aryiku, says Pan-Africanism remains relevant but requires urgent reinvention to meet the political, economic and cultural realities facing Africa today.
Speaking on the Asaase Breakfast Show on Wednesday (25 February), Aryiku described Black History Month as more than a symbolic observance, arguing that Africans must treat their history as a daily responsibility rather than a once-a-year commemoration.
“Every day we live the history of Africans,” he said. “It is a shame that we only have one month to pretend to celebrate Black history.”
Aryiku linked the month’s significance to the legacy of historian and civil rights pioneer W.E.B. Du Bois, who began what was then known as Negro History Week in 1926 to encourage Black people to reclaim their historical narrative.
Ghana as symbolic home of Pan-Africanism
He noted that Ghana holds a special place in Du Bois’ life and Pan-African thought, recalling that the scholar relocated to Accra at the invitation of Kwame Nkrumah to work on the Encyclopedia Africana project documenting the achievements of people of African descent.
The W.E.B. Du Bois Memorial Centre for Pan-African Culture, Aryiku said, is not merely a burial site but “a living archive” and intellectual space intended to inspire continental unity.
“Africa was not merely a geography to Du Bois; it was an idea,” he said. “He believed Ghana would be the beacon to lead the emancipation of the continent.”
However, he admitted that Pan-Africanism lost momentum after political upheavals in the 1960s and now needs deliberate revival.
“It is a tough road. We are still fighting to define what Pan-Africanism means today,” he added.
Concerns about dependency and leadership
Aryiku expressed concern that Africa has drifted away from Du Bois’ vision of self-reliance, criticising what he described as continued economic dependency on Western powers.
“Every four or five years we go to Washington or London to beg for loans — loans from our own resources,” he said. “Du Bois told us to look within for our own development.”
He argued that stronger institutions, honest leadership and youth involvement are essential if the continent is to regain control of its development trajectory.
If Du Bois were alive today, Aryiku said, “he would be very disappointed” by persistent inequality and underdevelopment.
Plans to transform the centre
Aryiku also outlined plans to reposition the Du Bois Centre into a research-driven cultural and academic complex rather than simply an events venue.
The foundation intends to restore Du Bois’ residence, construct a new mausoleum, establish a museum exhibition on his life, and create a 50-room scholars’ residency to train African researchers and writers to interpret his work for modern audiences.
“We want to produce Du Bois scholars in Ghana,” he said. “Not a single major book about him has been written by an African. That must change.”
The foundation also plans to use digital platforms, including social media, to make Du Bois’ ideas accessible to younger generations.
“How do we translate his philosophy for the TikTok and AI generation? That’s the challenge we are solving,” Aryiku said.
Beyond money in reparations debate
On the question of reparations, Aryiku said the issue should not be reduced to financial compensation but institutional reform and fairness in global systems.
“It’s not just about money,” he explained. “It’s about changing the structures that make it difficult for Africans to progress.”
He called for broader conversations about global governance, including African representation in international decision-making bodies.
A call to reclaim pride
Ultimately, Aryiku said Du Bois’ enduring message was one of dignity and self-belief.
“He told Black people: be proud of who you are. Don’t let anyone tell you that you are inferior,” he said.
He encouraged young Africans to read Du Bois’ work and engage with the centre’s activities to keep Pan-African ideals alive.
“Let’s not lose hope in Africa,” he added. “Our history and our future are in our hands.”
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