Page 11 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 12

MY AFRIKA

incomprehensible magnitude of Otherwise it will be a pipe dream on all Afrikans at independence but
failure of the Afrikan narrative? My that will never come to pass. What as great suggestions from some of
answer is none other than ourselves. do I mean? the founding fathers of the Afri-
Why do I say that? All our prob- kan states. I am sure you know the
lems begin with us, even before See it this way. philosophies of people like Kwame
they are created by others and Nkrumah, Julius Nyerere, Thomas
imposed on us. They begin with us For there to be unity among Afri- Sankara etc. So I won't say more
when we think that what is Afrikan kans, there must a central point of about that.
is inferior and what is foreign is the reference that we all are coming
ultimate. We have leaders who are from historically and also there But first, what is the central ideal of
too myopic to see that the various must be a central point of focus the Afrikan leaders for their people
policies and trade agreements they that we all are walking towards in and also the ideals of the Afrikan
sign or enter into mostly are not fa- the form of a vision and then an people for themselves. A candid an-
vorable to their own people, except accurate culture in the present that swer to this question and the other
maybe their own allies and partners enables the essence of the past to question may begin the process of
in foolishness. match with the vision of the future. healing for Afrika.

The past keeps haunting us Why is that important? It’s a waste Saudi Arabia for example
For a person, a people or even a of time to say we are fighting for an I am currently reading the book by
community to progress and have Afrikan unity when we don’t even John Perkins titled: The New Con-
true development that is not the have a picture of what that unity fessions of An Economic Hit Man.
lies and materialism that most have looks like in hindsight and when we The book has a lot of eye-opening
embraced and which is destroying are not readily available to do what details about how the American
our world, they must have a true it takes to make it happen when we global empire agenda works and
connection between what was, what finally figure out that we have been how that agenda works in Afrikan
is and what is possible in the future. paying lip-service to many of our countries through loans, debts, and
They must have that which their issues. We prefer talking about them threats, which makes me wonder
life or lives are anchored on and for like bunch of buzzing bees but whether our Afrikan governments
which they live and build daily. The when it’s time for each one to lay are aware of such an agenda and
various past decisions and mistakes down their pride, ego, self-servic- how the very loans they so much
of our leaders and even of our- ing, greed for power and the many crave are the very tool that the west
selves as citizens are always before other things that undermine unity, is using to keep Afrika and Afrikans
our faces and they keep undermin- we suddenly remember that we are down.
ing our progress because we don't sovereign nations and independent
own up to them and do all to stop Afrikan people. We are together as In chapter 15 of the book, a con-
the recurrences of the same. the African Union when it's time to versation occurred between the
sit in our fine seats in Addis Ababa author John Perkins and a Saudi
Personally, I feel that for there to and we waste time talking about diplomat.
be real development based on true peace and unity, but at our respec-
daily living out, there must be an tive national borders, we behave “In 1974, a diplomat from Sau-
accurate match between the past, like ruthless warlords towards our di Arabia showed me photos of
the present and the future. Take for Afrikan brothers and sisters. We Riyadh, the capital of his country.
example the issue of unity among certainly do not have a point of Included in these photos was a herd
Afrikans both at home in the con- reference for our unity and a central of goats rummaging among piles
tinent and in the diaspora. There is point of focus for our growth and of refuse outside a government
a constant call for Afrikans to unite thus a present culture that births building. When I asked the diplomat
and be one people again; which is true liberty and true development is about them, his response shocked
a most beautiful thing that could lacking. me. He told me that they were the
happen with this continent. But the city’s main garbage disposal system.
question is this, is it really possible But do we really not have a point “No self-respecting Saudi would
to have a united Afrika? Well, I of reference for our unity? Well ever collect trash,” he said. “We
think it’s possible BUT only if we I think we do but not as a central leave it to the beasts.”
do what is required to make it so. point of reference that was binding These sentiments were also shared

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