In the heart of Southern Africa, where the echoes of liberation songs still drift through the copper fields and over the Zambezi breeze, a new voice is rising confident, clear, and unafraid.
It is the voice of the League of African Ambassadors (LAA), a gathering of Africa’s finest envoys, men and women who have walked the corridors of power, carried the weight of flags, and now seek to chart a fresh diplomatic course for a continent long misunderstood by its own destiny
On the calm evening of October 5, 2025, the Pamodzi Hotel in Lusaka pulsed with quiet symbolism. Beneath its golden lights, conversations in English, French, Arabic, and Swahili merged into one language, the language of African renewal. The pre-launch briefing of the League, led by Ambassador Ominyi Nwanne, Interim President of the LAA, and Ambassador Lazarus Kapambwe, Zambia’s Special Envoy and former High Commissioner to Nigeria, was not merely administrative. It was reflective part strategy, part confessional, a communion of visionaries determined to make diplomacy the new liberation movement.
Among the dignitaries was His Excellency Ambassador Lt. General T.Y. Buratai (rtd), Nigeria’s former Chief of Army Staff and the League’s Board of Trustees member representing West Africa.
His presence carried both symbolism and substance, the image of a soldier who once led battalions now walking the quiet paths of diplomacy, carrying not weapons but words; not commands, but counsel.
A Message of Unity, a Memory of Heroes
With calm authority, General Buratai paid homage to Zambia’s President, Hakainde Hichilema, commending his progressive leadership and his nation’s gracious acceptance to host the League’s grand launch, set for October 14–15, 2025.
In a continent often divided by ambition and rhetoric, Zambia has become a neutral ground, a new Addis, a modern Cairo of conscience.
Buratai’s speech carried the solemn gravity of a soldier who has seen both war and peace. Invoking the spirit of Dr. Kenneth Kaunda, Zambia’s founding father, he declared.
Buratai called on the League to pick up where the founding fathers left off, urging a renaissance of security, development, and purposeful diplomacy.
“Africa needs a new rhythm, one of pragmatic diplomacy and continental solidarity,” he said. “We must ensure the dreams of our heroes do not die in the echo of speeches.”
Accompanied by his close friend, His Royal Majesty, Oba (Dr.) Hameed Oyelude Makama, Tegbosun III, the Olowu of Owu-Kuta Kingdom, Buratai’s visit underscored the harmony between tradition and modern statecraft, a meeting point of royal grace and military discipline.
Africa’s Call to Action
In a stirring address, Ambassador John J. Usanga, the League’s Deputy Spokesperson, challenged Africans everywhere:
“Join the League. Lend your voice. Shape Africa’s future together. History will not judge us by our hesitations, but by the actions we take today.”
It was a call not just to diplomats, but to dreamers, builders, and believers across the continent.
Zanaco: Banking on Africa’s Future
Earlier, the LAA team paid a courtesy visit to Zanaco Headquarters in downtown Lusaka, where CEO Ms. Mukwandi Chibesakunda commended the League’s vision.
“The knowledge and experience I see in this room is immense,” she said. “LAA complements government efforts and can catalyze Africa’s economic transformation.”
The League, modeled after the Council of American Ambassadors and the European Council on Foreign Relations, is a non-profit, non-political coalition of serving and retired envoys. Its mission: to channel Africa’s diplomatic wisdom into pragmatic action for peace, progress, and prosperity.
Ambassador Sylvester Mundanda, the League’s administrative head, reinforced this alliance:
“Zanaco’s pan-African reach and credibility make it the perfect partner. Together, we advance economic diplomacy with sustainability and shared growth.”
Recycling Wisdom, Rebuilding Africa
Ambassador Kapambwe framed the League’s philosophy with quiet eloquence:
“If we can recycle plastic, why not recycle wisdom? Experience earned at a huge cost must not be wasted.”
Indeed, the League of African Ambassadors seeks to preserve and transmit the wealth of experience accumulated by Africa’s envoys, transforming history’s lessons into blueprints for a stronger continent.
With Zambia’s central geography, democratic stability, and growing reputation as a regional hub, Lusaka stands ready to host what many already call “Africa’s diplomatic renaissance.”
Africa Rising: The Journey Begins
As the clock ticks toward October 14th, the air in Lusaka hums with anticipation. The message is clear, Africa’s destiny is collective, and her time is now.
In the words of one delegate:
“From the ashes of yesterday’s struggles, Africa must light tomorrow’s torch. The League of African Ambassadors is that flame.”
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