Who is to blame for the political situation in Africa?
Africa
is a beautiful continent made up of beautiful people with diverse cultures and
identities. Some of the world supreme and most attractive animals originate
from Africa. Every year, many tourists from all over the sphere flood the
African continent to witness these mesmerizing cultures of different tribes.
Africa is the place to be during winter.
A sun-bath along the beaches is a thing to look forward to. The
coastline has breathtaking sites and horizons. A bottle of palm wine cools the
nerves and the cool breeze takes away your troubles just for a moment. Many
documentaries have been made depicting the beauty of Africa; not forgetting the
courteous, generous and hospitable nature of its gorgeous people.
However,
despite this beauty, this continent is ailing. It takes a keen eye to notice
that behind those beautiful smiles and white teeth, Africa is weeping. Africa is in a deplorable state. Its beautiful
species are dwindling by day. Its exotic plants are getting depleted with each
passing day. Even though this continent is endowed with numerous mineral
deposits and precious stones, Africa still weeps. The main question is, “Who is
to blame for the current state of affairs in the African continent?
Before
the arrival of missionaries, slave traders and explorers, Africa lay quiet, safe,
sound and unperturbed by the world yonder. Africans lived in peaceful
coexistence with their brothers and neighbours. Of course, occasionally, there
were sporadic clashes here and there, sometimes due to cattle rustling and
sometimes due to sheer malice. We are told that witches and wizards existed and
practiced their trade, sometimes causing mayhem. Medicine men treated the
ailing. Customs were established which acted as guiding principles of how to
live and relate with one other. Informal education was passed down from parents
and grandparents to the young ones and the youth by word of mouth. Many beautiful
oral narratives were crafted and narrated with gusto by the elderly men and
women, as if they were truly there when it all occurred. Such stories, legends,
songs, dances were passed down from generation to generation with a little bit
of exaggeration here and there. Some of these stories were simply created to
scare the younger generation and deter them from engaging in vices. A girl
learned how to take care of the family and perform here roles as a woman. The
man had to undergo a rite that qualified him for his role as a man, husband and
provider. Clad in animal skin, everybody was happy with the simple lifestyle.
Rules were observed and iniquities were punished appropriately.
But
all this has changed. Africa is no longer the same again. Children no longer
jump and scream dashing around the compound naked and barefoot, chasing after
lizards and butterflies. Mothers no longer sit in the fields gossiping about
their numerous husbands. Neighbours no longer greet each other “good morning”
or “good afternoon” as it used to be. The youth no longer respect the elderly.
Girls no longer perform their roles as it were. Elders no longer decide cases
with fairness. Conflicts are no longer rare. Today Brother rises up against
brother, wife against husband and child against father. When did the rain start
beating Africa?
Today
Africans identify each other by tribe and matrimonial home. Neighbours approach
each other with suspicion. Boundaries have been established and guarded by sword
and blood. This brother is no longer brother. The leaders that replaced the dynasties
no longer serve the people that bestowed them to power. Africa is now infested
with hunger, diseases and strives. Life is unbearable. Gun blazing has become
the norm. Wails of women and children fill the air as they mourn the fallen heroes;
fell by the sword of the brothers they elected to be custodians of law and
order.
When
colonialists went to Africa, they arrived armed with a sword and a Bible. They
crafted laws that outlawed anything “primitive”. They destroyed the traditional
fabric that held African people together. They developed some under-hand ways
of ruling over the black man and forcing him into submission. They found Africans
united and this proved to be a challenge to the colonialists because a people
united can never be defeated. They therefore came up with the famous “divide
and rule” theory. They demarcated the land into countries and further into smaller
regions known as counties and sub-counties. They imposed a leader in each
region and they soon succeeded to subdue the black man who was armed with
nothing but a spear and primitive tools. Bullet sounds wrung the air and sent
the terrified natives scampering for safety. When the colonialists left, for
nothing stays forever, their place was quickly taken over by the village chiefs
they had recruited to assist them rule the black man. Such people continued to
practice what they had learned and even perfected the art further. They grabbed
land that didn’t belong to them. They displaced populations. They created
animosity. They enjoyed the civilization brought in by the colonial governments
and ensured that it remained a privilege of the lucky few. Those segregated
become bitter and hostile. Such regions quickly become breeding grounds for fundamentalism
and terrorism. It is a good thing that
Colonial governments volunteered to spread civilization to Africa but maybe….just
maybe…they left too early before the change they had introduced took root.
Today
the youth complete their university education, their faces beaming with hope
and expectation, only to be replaced by frowning eye brows. The good life is
now a mirage. Their knuckles pain due to countless knocks on closed doors,
looking for jobs. Man and woman no longer marry; no food to put on the table,
they say. Development is scattered. Only few regions that are deemed to be
loyal to the government of the day receive favors. Whom do we blame for all
this?
Africans
go to vote, but the minority always wins. Then there are clashes. Losers stick
to power like a vampire leach on that tender part of your body. People die like
flies. But they (leaders) would rather rule over corpses than submit to defeat.
They vehemently stick to power with their hands and legs. Power corrupts even
the most innocent. Such are the people that rally their tribesmen to protect “their”
leadership. “It’s our time to eat”, so they say. The ignorant citizens believe
them and do just that, even when it means killing their neighbors - the people they
have known all their life. The neighbor with whom their children go to school
and play together oblivious of the animosity that is brewing between their
parents. The same ignorant fools vote for and protect the corrupt, the evil and
the selfish. Years drag by and they see no change forthcoming. And the citizens
cry how difficult life has become. But they still vote in the same people that
have been in power since their independence and have never brought in any
positive change. Once they (those in power) are gone, their children take over.
So the dynasty continues only that now this one is given “democratically”.
Things get from bad to worse. So, who is to blame?
By
Prince.
