Africa at the cross roads: where do we go from here?

It is generally said that where you stand and how you see is usually shaped by a number of emotions – how you were conditioned, the people you care for, your prejudices, your view of yourself in history and your aspirations for the future. How you are sometimes also changes. Two journalists undertook a soul searching journey across six African countries: Mali, Nigeria, Benin, Morocco, Mozambique and South Africa. The spectacular beauty of these countries is to say the least without description. The beauty of the landscape, the warmth and welcoming nature of the people convinced them that Africans are truly good natured people, and who doesn’t know this? Most of the people encountered were poor, with improved telecommunications, thanks to the mobile telephone companies that have cashed in on the communications needs of our people given the poor infrastructure prevailing on most of the continent. Africans have endured extreme hardships. Almost all these countries mentioned have been recovering from some form of trauma: civil war, unbelievable socio-economic hardships and authoritarianism. These were, and actually are, hard and probably hardened cases. And yet the generosity of people, the way they care and look after each other, amongst monstrous socio-economic hardships, their creativity in the absence of surplus, the sheer spirit of their humanity reminded the two journalists why we should be proud to be from this continent, the cradle of mankind. The sojourn involved carrying out a documentary on ordinary folks who had become extraordinary as they launched battles over the last quarter of a century to extricate themselves from the shackles of political and economic obscenities that continued to crush the proud African spirit. The said journalists spoke at length to a cross section of activists and members of the civil society-fifty of them, undoubtedly a drop in the ocean of the millions of determined and courageous women, men and youths—who over the years had risked their lives, and in turn won some victories, which were beginning to make their countries worthwhile places to live in. Some of these victories were quite incredible. In Benin for instance, these activists had through a conference held more than twenty years ago, peacefully replaced a military dictatorship with a functioning democracy, where people could speak their minds openly and freely. There was an extraordinary sense of movement, energy and optimism and these activists that the journalists spoke to, recounted their country’s future prospects. Although almost all were aware that the gains they had achieved were precarious and the situation could quickly turn sour gain, they were nevertheless determined to continue the fight to protect what they had and to enlarge it. These activists believed that their countries were beginning to turn the corner. Some of them talked passionately about former South African President, Thabo Mbeki’s African Renaissance and the much touted New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), Africa’s ‘blueprint’ to economic salvation. This vision needs to build on the obvious strengths of Africa. Imagine the shape of the map of Africa as a person – and then imagine, as critical, key countries in terms of resources, human population and past civilizational contributions. Africa’s head would be Egypt, her neck the Sudan, her backbone Ethiopia, her heart the Congo, her feet South Africa, and her hands Nigeria. These are the equivalents of Germany, Britain, France, Italy and Spain in Europe. If these countries in Europe are in chaos, the whole of Europe is in chaos. Without these countries, Europe does not work. Without these six countries, Africa does not work either. Now look at the fate of these countries over the last 40 or so years. The head Egypt, and neck Sudan have an identity crisis over whether they are Arab or African; the backbone Ethiopia has been bent over double with famine, feudal revolution and war. Obviously Ethiopia has greatly recovered over the last 15 years, thanks to the role played by late Prime Minister Meles Zenawi. Nigeria has been blighted by cases of corruption and a joke has been crafted that the Christian left hand does not trust the Muslim right hand. The resource rich heart, the DR Congo, is in utter chaos because of wars, weak leadership and outside interference. The feet, South Africa, is like a sleeping giant immobilised and bound by the elite domination. The feet are now free to move but might falter again. The hands are moving again but still do not trust each other. Much work remains. Is it possible? Much like Max Hastings today, A patrician Roman standing in the glory that was his empire would have laughed had he been told that in under 2000 years, a far off backward island territory, full of warring tribes, would be at the centre of the world and its language, English, would replace Latin as the world language. Is it a question of ‘Les Anglo-Saxon? The writer is a consultant and visiting lecturer at the Rwanda Defence Forces Senior Command and Staff College, Nyakinama oscar_kim2000@yahoo.co.uk

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Africa at the cross roads: where do we go from here?