The third ordinary session of the assembly of the African Union ended yesterday at the UNECA conference center, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia passing eighteen decisions and two declarations. Amongst them, endorsement of the recommendations of the 4th ordinary session of the Executive Council in March 2004 to retain the emblem and flag of the OAU as the new AU flag and emblem, and decision to select the rearranged (revised) version of the anthem of OAU as the new African Union anthem.

If African Union is to adopt the symbols of the defunct OAU, it negated their call for an African Union Symbols competition. Competition means determination of the best, and if this is true, were OAU symbols the best of all submissions? We will let the market forces of demand and supply be the judges. People will always demand the best and not what is forced upon them.

We expect African Union to make known the best three entries in each category(namely, anthem, flag and logo) as determined by the panel of judges in the competition. Thereafter we can determine whether or not the Executive Council allowed due process or were out to refill a new bottle with old wine. If all symbols of AU would be ex-OAU symbols, was there any need calling for African Union Symbols Competition in the first place?

We will let the people do their own judgment. We will release submissions by our founder Chief Charles O. Okereke in the AU Symbols Competition, for people to compare them with what was chosen by AU Executive Council. We do not dispute their decisions, but Africans have the right to also review alternatives. We will start off by the anthem submission by our founder in this write-up.

Chief Okereke submitted 'God Bless Africa' long floated as the unofficial African anthem. God Bless Africa will remain the unofficial African anthem and a patriotic song of Africa. Follow the links below to listen to the different versions of the song. If tired of same old song of OAU, then write African Union for a new blood. Our founder also composed and recorded another patriotic African song, Rise Up For Africa. All the patriotic songs by our founder will be released in the market shortly.

National anthem can be generally described as patriotic musical composition that is formally recognized by a country's(or an entity) government as their state's official national song. In the 19th and 20th centuries with the rise of the national state nationalism, grew the concept of identity which members of a particular government, nation, society, or territory may collectively feel to advance. National anthems, sometimes referred to as national hymns created an avenue for such advancement. Most countries have national anthems, which in some cases coexist with other commonly sung patriotic songs. A patriotic song can be described as an unofficial national anthem. This is where God Bless Africa fits for now, an African patriotic song and the unofficial African anthem.

If you have any comments or questions, do not hesitate to contact us.