The African Union (AU) officially unveiled the Statue of the first ever Tanzanian president Julius Nyerere on February 18th, 2024 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Julius Nyerere, Tanzania’s founding father, was very instrumental in the rise of Pan-Africanism. He led Tanzania to independence, and eventually became the country’s first president ruling from 1961 to 1985. The freedom fighter, passed in 1999 after his immemse contributions to the continent’s political struggles.
In memory and honor of Nyerere’s heroics, some African Heads of states took it upon themselves cut the ribbon, to officially unveil the icon’s Statue.
Robert Mugabe, before his passing, was the first to suggest in 2017, that a Statue be built to honor Nyerere, which has now come to fruition in 2024, just outside the African Union headquarters in Ethiopia.
Nyerere is the third African leader in history to be honored with a Statue. His, is next to Kwame Nkrumah, the founding father of Ghana, and Haile Selassie, Ethiopian leader who resisted Italian rule.
Julius Nyerere was known for his modest lifestyle and advocated for African Countries to be self-reliant and not depend on Foreign aid for survival.
The Statue comes 25 Years after his passing at 77, in 1999.
