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Momodou
Denmark
11828 Posts |
 Posted - 29 Sep 2010 : 14:46:33
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This is an interesting commentary. However, there is an error regarding the years of Independence for Nigeria and Ghana. Ghana was the first black African country to become independent in 1957 whilst Nigeria became independent in 1960.
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Building a United States of Africa
Commentary
By Bijou Peters
Building a United States of Africa; is this a feasible proposition? This is the million dollar question. It is often stated that our former colonial leaders did not promote unity within African States but created a political policy of divide and rule which prevailed throughout the entire period of colonization. They are blamed for the divisions within states which have existed since those early years of colonial rule.
This may be a fact and a reality but it is not reasonable to apportion all the blame our former masters for the disunity which prevails in today’s Africa. The present policy of the unification of the continent will incorporate political, economical and social amalgamation which will include cultural, social and economic unity too.
In the early sixties, counties suddenly began to agitate for independence, for self rule because we felt that it was high time that we governed ourselves instead of being under foreign domination and that we were ready and competent to do so. Independence was not simply given to Africans on a platter, no, it was not that easy, we had to struggle to obtain self-rule. Nigeria became independent in 1960 followed by Ghana and gradually other countries followed. This was an uncertain period it was a new phenomenon that we had to choose our own leaders for the first time, produce a constitution for governance and to implement so many policies conducive to ruling ourselves. This became a situation of trial and error in the independent states. Every educated and enlightened African male wanted to become a leader and many mistakes must have been made during the early days and the leader must have felt like fishes out of water also because there was so much knowledge to assimilate in order to succeed in this new order of self-rule. It was not an easy matter. Firstly, governance and politics had to be learnt for our African leaders to succeed in this all important art of ruling their countries.
Leaders like Dr. Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana, Sekou Toure of Guinea Conakry, Tafawa Balewa of Nigeria, to name a few, did their utmost to steer their country’s helm up to a point. Soon conflicts began to erupt here and there, the strife in Nigeria was a vicious one and in one year, nearly all their fine, well-trained military officers who had been to the military academy in Sandhurst, the U.K were assassinated!! That was a very sad AND troubled period in that country and the sub-region, when they lost the cream of military Junta. Unfortunately, so many coup d’etats occurred in rapid succession and almost crippled the state. This state of strife spread to other states within the sub-region in no time causing chaos, instability, both politically and economically and severe damage to infrastructure with ensuing poverty generally. Then African began to wonder whether we were genuinely ready for self rule when we began to agitate for it. Some of these early Presidents contemplated the issue of the unification of African States. President Nkrumah of Ghana was a Pan Africanist and made no bones about his policy but he was not supported by his own people who were strongly opposed to African Unity at that time. He was exiled from his home for many years, and he eventually died in exile taking all his heart felt political ideologies with him.
The Organization of African Unity (O.A.U) was formed in 1963 which lasted for 37 years. In 2000, the African leaders assembled in Libya to attend an O.A.U Summit. At the gathering, the host leader Muammar Gaddafi introduced the issue of African Unity for the first time and suggested that the name of the O.A.U be changed to A.U. This brought some controversy among those present at that summit. The conclusion was that the matter was food for thought and leaders agreed, at the end of the deliberations to return home to their respective countries and to study the Libyan leader’s proposal of altering the O.A.U to the A.U more thoroughly .The leaders did their home work and so the A.U was inaugurated in July 2002.
The Libyan leader believed that an African Unity government is the only way Africa can develop without western interference!! Do we really advocate and visualize the development of Africa devoid of western interference? We ask ourselves. This attitude is unreasonable since we cannot go it alone entirely-we have a lot to learn from the western world, and Africa also has much to offer the west in the form of our natural resources which they require and so on. It is surprising that Libya is now advocating African Unity and their country has always been isolated from the rest of the continent for decades, and they have not regarded themselves as Africans and Libya as part of Africa either.
The Libyan leader has been regarded as a dictator. African visitors who had gone to that country in search of jobs have not been well treated. It was reported some years ago that some Gambians who had lived and worked in that country for several years, were suddenly deported back to The Gambia and were not even allowed to bring home the money that they had genuinely earned during their sojourn in Libya. I actually met some of these unfortunate men who complained very bitterly about their lives in Libya and the discrimination they succumbed to. It is queer that President Muammar Gaddafi is the same leader who is now fervently promoting the ideology of a United States of Africa devoid of Western interference. In view of all these, how can the rest of the world regard the Libyan leader’s proposal of a United States of Africa as genuine and sincere?
Source: DailyNews
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A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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toubab1020
12314 Posts |
Posted - 29 Sep 2010 : 15:01:14
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No,No, No Mr Bijou Peters ,if you don't research your facts you will become just like that Toubab 1020 on bantaba.  |
"Simple is good" & I strongly dislike politics. You cannot defend the indefensible.
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Edited by - toubab1020 on 29 Sep 2010 15:02:19 |
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turk
USA
3356 Posts |
Posted - 29 Sep 2010 : 15:32:06
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The idea of African Union is good but the current state is not good one. I don't see current model to be a successful model. It is very difficult to unite many countries, many religion, many tribes, cultures, economies and huge land. Instead, there should be gradual unification. Like EU. Even developed European countries with high GDP, educated population, established democracy, it took years to unite Europe.
There should be regional unification that may include the countries with similar common ground. For example
Senegal, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Mali, Mauritania, Burkina-Faso,Niger can established United States of North West Africa. Their culture, religion, economies, tribes are easier to unite than their unification with Eritrea. Similarly, Nigeria, Ghana, Ivory Cost, Togo, Ivory Cost, Benin, Cameroon can established another union. Regional unions can gradually became African Union. |
diaspora! Too many Chiefs and Very Few Indians.
Halifa Salah: PDOIS is however realistic. It is fully aware that the Gambian voters are yet to reach a level of political consciousness that they rely on to vote on the basis of Principles, policies and programmes and practices. |
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Prince
507 Posts |
Posted - 29 Sep 2010 : 18:44:40
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Economic unification like reduced tariffs and other policies that improves trade within our people is good. BUT to hell with political unification... we do not want to pay taxes to some Nigerian government or give them any direct say on how we should be governed.
Thankfully, these crazy unification people won't have their way anytime soon.. because no African leader is willing to relinquish or share power anytime soon... |
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turk
USA
3356 Posts |
Posted - 30 Sep 2010 : 05:06:50
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Prince
Thankfully! Why being skeptic? Being political division is the biggest obstacle for African development. African division and political division is not natural which cause the biggest problem. The borders drawn by Europeans. Most African states already divided ethnically. Just look at Senegal. We have Wolof in Gambia, and many are in Senegal as well. We have Mandinkos in Gambia, we have them in Mali too. Jolas in Gambia and Guinnea Bissau. So do you prefer this situation, unnatural political division over political unity. I understand your concern about 'the control' but that is a workable problem, however division makes Africa weak. India has accomplished a lot (They are planning to send a man/woman to the moon in a decade) and I strongly believe if Africa was united, there would be similar pattern in development like India. In international politics, the size matters when you stand up on issues. Lack of unity, Africa is too weak to stand up against other powers in the world. |
diaspora! Too many Chiefs and Very Few Indians.
Halifa Salah: PDOIS is however realistic. It is fully aware that the Gambian voters are yet to reach a level of political consciousness that they rely on to vote on the basis of Principles, policies and programmes and practices. |
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Prince
507 Posts |
Posted - 30 Sep 2010 : 22:50:28
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Turk,
The current Sub-saharan political reality is not a "division," its a political separation. This "separation" is healthy, natural, and limping towards progress.... whatever that means. Neither you, nor those relic post-independence ideologues can convince me otherwise.
One would hope that you're sophisticated enough to avoid being one of those fools brainwashed by the media into believing that it is all merry and progress in india. That, India, is moving toward glory. I've been to India on several occasions; it is a sad and poor country, where animals are treated better than a population equal to the combined population of West Africa. In fact, India has more poor people than Africa, http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10609407 and poverty is continually surging in India. India, typifies the classic failures big poor governments. Apart from Goa, the rest of India, looks like and is 4th world. People looked at us with disgust for having conversations with Dalits.
The formation of their modern state of political "unity" was brutal and bloody. To this day, India is full of Moist and other groups yearning to be free from subjugation... they're sacrificing their life and limb daily... but judging from your posts around here, you'd argue that their plight is unfortunate but justified, since india is getting mundane progress.
Not to digress to india.... I may start believing in the feasibility African Political Unity when terrorist and dictators like Ghadaffi, Sekou Touray, Nkurumah, and Nelson Mandela stop talking about that crap. The good news is most of these frauds are either dying or dead. |
"When injustice becomes law, rebellion becomes duty." |
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turk
USA
3356 Posts |
Posted - 30 Sep 2010 : 23:34:32
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Prince
Thanks for the comments. I don't really buy what you are saying either. Africa is a 'division' unnaturally, separation would be with your 'own will'. I don't see NOTHING healthy and progress is too slow, and sometime it is backwards. You did not say any convincing argument for your cynicism.
I am not easily brainwashed. I am skeptic about the news, I don't believe things easily. Hmmmmm! I was in India too. I actually worked on an project with in IBM lab. I was amazed with the dynamic economy and skilled people are. The engineer in IT sector in India is comparable or even sometime better than engineers in N. America or Europe. Currently I am working with other Indian Engineers, they are even better than nerdy Chinese ones. Yes there are poverty, but it is frking one in 4 people on this planet living in India. But there is progress. The middle income people increasing, technology is much further than Africa. In terms of Democracy and government system, much more stable. It ain't easy to govern more than one billion people. India is a big country. Their political and economic power are more and more felt. The india you over look have nuclear technology, they lead in many industries including this Mittal, man of steel. Africa can not even dream at the moment to come to India's level. Africa does not even dream something like this while they are divided.
Bad news i more frauds are born everyday.
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diaspora! Too many Chiefs and Very Few Indians.
Halifa Salah: PDOIS is however realistic. It is fully aware that the Gambian voters are yet to reach a level of political consciousness that they rely on to vote on the basis of Principles, policies and programmes and practices. |
Edited by - turk on 01 Oct 2010 20:40:51 |
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