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BY GEORGE PAMBASON
My
commentary relates to pan-Africanism and the founding values that form the
basis of pan-Africanism but it is a commentary through a very liberal and
pragmatist lens.
I believe that as a continent we ought to have some set of
values that drive our common ideology and yes, profound ethos of Africanism. An integrated
Africa or an Africa with a set of values that level the ground and sets rules
under which we all operate politically and economically. A shared vision
crafted for an intertwined destiny.
These values
may then prefect the political players to a minimum standard of operation.
This is of
great importance as we can only remain relevant on the global stage when we
have something tangible and unique to offer the world.
Our
political landscape to a larger extend leaves you at the fence on issues of
importance and mainly those leaning towards pan Africanism, it’s a riff ruff culture mostly devoid of specs
of modern world thinking.
African
leadership is entitlement as opposed to service; African politics is elitist
and opportunistic. African leadership is authoritarian and coercive. The rule of law is elusive and justice
selective. All the above are daily leadership hiccups this continent struggles
with and are manifested by the same people who sing lyrics of Pan-Africanism as
we sing along in chorus with doubting voices.
These
leaders have comparatively position themselves around the Pan-African agenda
but quickly become absorbed by the porous Eurocentric tendencies of the past.
These brothers of ours discourse the exact opposite of what they practice. So
you wonder! To be? Or Not to be?
The sun sets on you still stranding at the fence.
But let me
remind you in 1885 the scramble for Africa was initiated by Europeans because
they wanted to micro-manage the continent, The land was divided into smaller
manageable units, the principle behind this was” divide and rule’ They wanted
to exert more influence, they wanted more trade, they wanted to weaken the
African idea one of a free people united with a common purpose.
During this
partitioning many African leaders were helpless, they couldn’t resist, they
never had resources, no army to resist, no organization to voice their
concerns, they watched the process initiated and imposed on them, tribes were
divided, land was grabbed and many African people suffered as a consequence.
After the Second
World War at the helm of divisions in Europe coupled with their depleted
resources bases, patriotic Africa leaders seized the opportunity to free
themselves from the shackles of colonialism. Africa started the road to a free
and independent idea of Africa for
Africans campaign which led to independence.
The question
lingers however whether truly we were liberated, Or maybe we were liberated and
then decolonized by our own, it has been over 50years for most African
countries since they gained independence.
We are still
peevish with fundamental issues of identity. The African identity is amorphous.
You and I know the history that forsakes
our identity was a creation of the West because they wanted to micro-manage the
continent, to disguise our commonalities, what have we done to reclaim that
identity apart from deepening the tribulations with politics of tribal
divisions, thuggery, marginalization, and elitist tendencies by those in
leadership.
Our identity
as a people should be determined by our own characters, our social roots, the
culture and creed that unites us and identifies us from the rest.
Through a
similar lens, look at the continent with introspection; plunders of African
wealth happens in the broad day light presided over by our own, oppression,
dehumanisation of the African people who may differ in political opinion,
torture and extortion are daily occurrences on the continent. These happen and
are presided over by our own.
The young generation
needs to start analysing the political creations we have on the continent and
pause the claim that the West is responsible for our own failures. Truly
stating the West was responsible for our unfortunate history, the history of
slavery and that of colonialism that pitied the continent to massive
sufferings, dislocations and misguided our identity. But that was then! We are
now responsible for our unfortunate situation.
What is
wrong when America donates a billion US dollars to boast education on the
continent but with a condition that there must be accountability and structures
in place to ensure that sought accountability? Are we going to be the so don’t- give-a- damn pan-Africanist and
reject whatever is dressed in western garb and embrace the stench dressed in afro labels?
Our leaders,
our civil societies, our institutions, are to blame for the extricable failures
that bug the continent to date. Yes! We have a very unfortunate history but
this can’t be used as a lullaby to sing
every problem to sleep.
I will give you an example, when president
Museveni of Uganda captured power in 1986 many (West) described him as a new
breed of African leaders thirstily needed
by this continent. He was literally a darling
of the west; the same applies to Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe who was awarded The Most Honourable Order of the Bath by
the queen of England, only to be scrapped when the Centre didn’t hold no more.
These are honours given to extra-ordinary individuals for extra-ordinary
achievements, the argument however may creep around the sincerity of these
honours whether they are truly awarded on merit or used as a tool to hoodwink
African leaders to trek a carefully pre-designed path that ensures policy
dominion of the West.
The doubt however is about the recipients themselves, are they statesmen of the calibre
of Nelson Mandela, Julius Nyerere, or Kwame Nkrumah?
Nelson
Mandela under any circumstances wouldn’t unleash the wrath of state machinery
in the shadow of a police force to butcher his own people due to a differing political
opinion. He vehemently wears and owns the right to brag Pan-Africanist because he lived it.
The then president of the USA went global trotting
touting his political brand as a new light of the Dark Continent. After almost
three decades Museveni still desirously manoeuvres all probable ways to keep
him-self relevant no matter the price tag.
The state
has degenerated into pandemonium,
corruption has flounced through all institutions, he has divided the country
along tribal lines and he is practically Man managing the country, because his
government is a loose canal on a rowdy sea. He patches here and there using
state resources and coercion tactics to safeguard his hold onto the wheel of
power.
We must not
allow the Pan-African jargons that are bankrupt of ideology, that are built on deception and self-greed.
Today Mr. Museveni is the head of the
East African Community; COMESA, ICGLR
(International Conference on the Great Lakes Region. All these are
regional blocks that would catapult the continent to the elusive future, they
need steady african leaders.
He is seen by some as a strong pan-African leader
while he is presiding over a military state that is oppressive and
unaccountable to Ugandans, a state that allows nobody no space to participate
freely into the affairs of the country. A failed state that has fuelled
conflicts and has participated in the plunder of resources on the continent.
Should we then after Uganda becomes
another Zimbabwe blame the west?
Should we sing along in choruses, these non-aligned
jargons of Pan-Africanism?
This is the awakening, Play you part! I say; YES U CAN!
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