I will say like Gaddafi…Its time Africa arose from the shackles of colonialism and self-determine our destinies and lives. It’s time we became conscious and stay woke to the realities of the contemporary world and fight for our space and recognition in it. Long gone are the days when only the whites/Europeans reigned supreme in global politics. Africa has since come of age and deserves a chair at the table of kings and only we as Africa can get it for ourselves as no one can get it for us I dare say.
I don’t get how in 2017, we have slavery in Africa no less from the very country that was the epicentre of development in Africa (circa Libya). We allowed the imperialists to come in and define our narratives and depict Gadaffi the biggest pan Africanist as the worst dictator yet his people loved him and adored him for his works. Who was he a dictator to? The west for they could net acquire the black gold at their pleasure? Why hasn’t Africa spoken up againist this slavery auction? Why haven’t we under the umbrella of AU not condemned that act and run to the rescue of our brothers? Or do they deserve it just because of their skin colour?
We need the rise of pan Africanists in this continent and I laud President Uhuru Kenyatta for setting the pace in the pan African dream of unity. By his proclamations yesterday, opening the Kenyan borders to all Africans and allowing acquisition of visas only at ports of entry is a huge milestone towards promoting intracontinental cohesion through transit of human resources and capital. The net effect is increased trade and BOPs tilted in Kenyas favour especially with the rise of service industry and internet enabled borderless trade opportunities. How nobble.!! What a milestone for Africa if every of the African countries were to do that?
But are we inherently self-destructive as Africa and inconsiderate of our state of being and the strength arising from African cohesion? While we have Kenya’s Uhuru making positive strides on one hand, On the other hand, we have Tanzania’s Maghufuli who is extremely selfish and hell bent on spoiling even brother like relations existing and long been fought for relations and integration dreams in East Africa. Why would a brother burn your chicken and auction your cows? Why would they not bother about inauguration of an elected president of a neighbouring country?
How can there ever be unity after such humiliating acts of aggression. Aren’t we just being our own worst enemies as Africans? Did the wise men err by any chance when they said in Unity there is power? Our disunity as Africa is our down fall and we need a quick jolt to realise just how unity can work for us.
Isn’t it amazing how in 2017 we still have France a regrettable colonial master; holding the national reserves of fourteen African countries since 1961: Benin, Burkina Faso, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Togo, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo-Brazzaville, Equatorial Guinea and Gabon. In effect France is that like that boss who does nothing but keeps leeching on your sweat to get fatter. Life in France is so good; the socio-economic fabric blissful; but why? It is funded by sweat and tears of Africans whilst the Africans themselves cannot afford a quarter of social economic fabrics enjoyed by the French (see central Africa republic in perpetual war and debt). Could the countries just stop and do themselves first? Can the AU have a say in this outraging set of circumstances in African brothers? I hear Macron is making an African visit… As who? A colonial master to the slave? What emboldens him that much? Can Africa strip these entitled masters off their ill-gotten privileges? Can the Maghufulis of these Africa arise and embrace unity for once? Can the AU stop acting like a lame duck and show their claws?