Dear editor,
I am not an advocate of western democracy for OBVIOUS reasons and if you insist, I will say because it NEVER gave birth to any meaningful development in Africa. MARK MY WORD! In fact, it has been taught very badly to Africans that instruments of self-development, common sense and growth are completely removed from the equation. We copy a square peg and try pushing it in a round hole. Worst of all, we are convinced by the same teachers that “it’s gonna work, just keep pushing”. It’s 50 plus years and we are still pushing. COMMON SENSE!!!
History told us that The West “adopted” Western democracy after successfully looting and extricating the natural and mineral resources of “uncivilised” nations and continents under the most gruesome, heartless and brutal conditions, to help build their ‘developed or 1st World countries”. They left in their trail destruction that cannot be repaired until doomsday. It is from those exploitative colonial resources that all these big corporations sprang, with names and identities that obfuscate their true beginnings. Can you smell the coffee now?
Don’t get me wrong, I am an ardent supporter and believer in good governance – a practical development oriented governance approach driven by a sense of nationalism, industrialization, the judicious utilization of state natural resources, non exploitative inter-state relationship and the respect for human rights and the rule of law. This is the kind of governance approach that catapulted Asia to where they are …and even the West, and NOT the democracy we are taught by Britain and America. Their democracy is a dependency democracy or as one old fellow will call it “dem-kara kiling”. Its aid driven and exploitative, supported by powerful financial and trade institutions that keep African countries entangled in debts after debts. It is a democracy measured by the ability of poor countries to exchange their resources with handouts, grants and loans that continue to plunge this great continent into a quagmire through unbearable and debilitating strings. Worst of all, these are the great countries who instead of being truthful to God and humanity, continue to ridicule and undermine our progress and celebrate our failures and disasters.
They blame everything on the instabilities of our governments eventhough they engineer them covertly, our lack of intellect, the dishonesty of our leaders eventhough they themselves contributed to the ascension of those leaders, our lack of machinery to add value when they bent on ensuring that we have none of that, and the list runs through… They have gone to the extent of killing our very best just to ensure that this continent doesn’t move from its tracks. Some say colonialism was the worst that happened to us but I believe the negative vibes and energy of the west towards us is and continues to do us more harm than we understand. Remember Nkrumah, Lumumba and Sankara before, now Ghadaffi, Mugabe and Magufuli. Soon it will be Kagame, Addo and Buhari…ARE WE WATCHING??
When China made the giant leap, they accused Chairman Mao but today China is up. When Lee Kuan Yew shut down his country, they accused him of autocracy, but now Singapore is up. When General Kagame stressed on discipline, they accused him of dictatorship, but now Rwanda is up. The same thing applies to Malaysia, the UAE and the Asian tigers. WHEN SHALL WE WAKE UP?
It is time that Africa turn the tides in favour of itself and like Nana Akufo Addo will say “add value to its products instead of seeking the same elsewhere”. All they research, advocate for and promulgate in the name of helping Africa is only in their long term interest. Haven’t we learned history? What have they initiated here since the 60s that worked for us? NOTHING…
Lets get up and stand up for our right. We have what it takes to move to the highest level and we can do that without Western aid, influence or guidance. We have no say or influence in their strategies, we only deal with them base on what they choose for themselves. Let us do the same and take over our destiny. This should be a long term strategy, for Africa to GET UP and start MOVING. It’s time fellow Africans, the time has arrived. No looking back, no side looking, no distraction, no intimidation, no retreat and no surrender. TO THE DEATH!!!
Alhaji Abubakar Darbo
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