Page 64 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 20

Leadership

new spark of hope in my heart.

Now I know that Afrikan govern-
ments can and citizens can actually
come together to do noble things
for other Afrikan governments and
citizens. They can engage in selfless
acts of service and pure love in an
effort to support one another and
to pull one another out of difficult
places. It has happened in the past
and that means that it is possible for
it to happen again.

It means that, as Afrikans, we can

Prime Minister, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa look and live beyond petty issues
and differences and truly support
one another with the difficulties
that we face. It means that if we
apartheid regime in South Africa sisters in South Africa have not been celebrate moments such as these
was yielding very small results. The grateful to Nigeria. When Mande- more than we have, we, the Afrikan
whole world was quite indifferent to la passed away in 2013, Nigeria’s people, can realize that we actually
the suffering of the black South Af- president was not even given the are one big community - even one
ricans. Moreover, western countries opportunity to speak. At the same big family that just needs to find
strongly supported the apartheid time, the representatives of the US itself again.
regime providing it with technolo- and the UK, two countries support-
gies, intelligence and favorable trade ing the apartheid regime, were in the It means that we can put away
agreements. Things started chang- spotlight. Nigerians still need visas hatred and ridicule from our hearts
ing dramatically only after African to travel to South Africa, while the as we appreciate that we have been
countries became independent in French, who used to back the apart- conned into thinking that our solu-
the 1960s. heid regime, can just buy a ticket tions do not rest within the remark-
and go wherever they want. able physical, social, emotional and
Nigeria unequivocally took over relational reality called Afrika.
leadership of the anti-apartheid Maybe, apartheid has not yet ended
movement worldwide. Despite the in South Africa. It means that we can begin to
volatile nature of Nigeria’s poli- change the way that we relate to one
tics and the passage of numerous Editor’s comment: another and to build, between us,
military and civil leaders, Nigeria There is something wonderful what will be genuinely beneficial for
has never abandoned its unwaver- about finding out things one did not our growth together as a people.
ing commitment to the freedom of know about Afrika’s history. Gems
our brothers and sisters in South like this fund that Nigeria created I It means that the lie of division can
Africa. From 1960 to 1995, Nigeria only learnt about in January 2022. no longer conquer us or ruin our
has alone spent over $61 billion to Imagine that. After all these years ability to accurately connect to one
support the end of apartheid, more on earth, I had my childlike wonder another and form a united front.
than any other country in the world, moment when I heard about this
according to the South African In- great initiative. Yes, it is disappoint- It means that we are without excuse.
stitute of International Affairs. ing that I did not know about it
The country has never let go of any sooner, because it means that this It means that you and I, my Afrikan
opportunity to denounce apart- great piece of our history somehow brother and sister, must now sit
heid, from the boycott of Olympic slipped through the cracks and was down together at our communal ta-
Games and Commonwealth Games obviously not given the prominence ble and plan together all the beauti-
to the nationalization of British it has deserved by our governments ful things that we have dreamed and
Petroleum assets in 1979. or educational system... but now envisioned for our Afrika to rise up
Unfortunately, our brothers and that I know about it, it has ignited a and become all that she can be!

64 | we tell the true afrikan story