The historical antecedents of achieving African continental unity can be traced to the era of the independent fighters and pan-Africanists, whose agenda was based on the fundamental ideologies that Africa could only realise its fullest potential, when social, economic and political integration was achieved.

The establishment of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) on the 25th of May 1963 was to help secure Africa's long-term economic and political future, as well as to promote unity and solidarity among African states.

The OAU metamorphosed into the African Union by the year 2002, as a way of re-directing the aims and objectives of the organisation. Yet, Africa has not been able to achieve African continental unity, as it remains the home of many civil conflicts, and internally displaced persons.

A certain Col. Muammar Abu Minyar al-Gaddafi burst onto the African political scene in 1969, and has since emerged as a popular African leader.

He has been a strong adherent of the dream of a fully integrated continent, and the achievement of a United States of Africa.

Colonel Al-Gaddafi's call for the immediate creation of the United States of Africa, and other proposals, ties into Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah's 'Federal States of Africa' concept espoused in the 1950s and 1960s.

Although this dream of Col. Gaddafi is a tall order, some people have supported his grandiose ambition of seeking a 'genuine' continental unity. However, recent happenings have exposed Col. Gaddafi's African agenda as a self-seeking one.

The continent's self-proclaimed "King of Kings" is reported to have disregarded the system of rotating regional blocs in the selection of the President of the African Union (AU), by seeking re-election through clandestine means.

Libya, a North African country, had chaired the AU for the past year, and under the system of rotating regional blocs, the position was supposed to go to a Southern Africa leader.

Malawi's President, Bingu wa Mutharika, was appropriately given the nod, after a desperate attempt by Col. Gaddafi to upset the apple cart.

Col. Gaddafi is reported to have courted the votes of smaller African countries, by paying their AU membership dues.

This is obviously a serious indictment on the sovereignty of these countries, and shows the lengths to which Gaddafi can go to throw his wealth around, to force on us, his so-called 'United States of Africa' agenda.

Shortly after being elected as President of the AU, Gadaffi gave his support to a military junta that toppled Mauritania's constitutionally elected President, essentially nullifying everything the AU stands for.

The Chronicle believes that Gadaffi's chairmanship has been very harmful to the AU's image. The last thing that the AU summit needs is to be embroiled in a controversial issue of presidential selections, when there are burning issues on the African continent, ranging from the many conflicts and political crises, to infrastructure development that need to be tackled.

When Col. Gaddafi started his one-year tenure as AU President, he set an ambitious agenda, promising to create a United States of Africa, and to solve the Darfur problem.

He even envisioned his United States of Africa dream to include the Caribbean. Gaddafi must bear in mind that this project is a process and not an event, and it transcends any individual leader's singular vision. Col. Gaddafi must be whipped into line.