A few weeks ago, Aljazeera aired a topnotch series dubbed "The French African connection” and the role France played in shaping many African countries – especially former colonies – even after they had gained independence.

It paints a very bleak picture of some of Africa’s iconic figures, who it turned out, were mere puppets controlled from Paris. A handful of people decided who would lead a particular African country, and if the person turned out to work against the puppeteer’s interests, he was shown the door, otherwise it was tombstone engraved with his name.

France’s primary motive was to control the vast energy resources, most of which ended lining politicians’ (African and French) pockets.

Today, some countries think they can reenact France’s past influence in western and central Africa by deciding to guide the destiny of our region, and unfortunately, some African leaders have bitten the bait and are dancing to their tunes.

As long as Africa and its leaders do not take past lessons seriously, look beyond their shallow interests, and work for the common interests of our continent; it will continue to play second fiddle even in matters that concern it.

The recent events in the Congo are a sober reminder that the commercial and political interests of the powerful take precedence over Africa’s wellbeing. They do not care whether the DRC government is persecuting certain sections of it populations as long as the flow of Congo’s natural resources is uninterrupted. 

This is where Africa should step in and work in unison to call the shots in matters that concern it, not merchants in some European boardroom.