By Abdoulie Bojang
TICAD in all senses is an imperial dictatorship; a development and economic dead trap for Africans and their infinite resources and president Barrow’s political ploy and distraction by flying in the “economy” must not be celebrated.
To emphasize, using taxpayers’ money and/or traveling in the name of taxpayers and citizens to such imperialist, development, and economic dictatorial event is inappropriate, wasteful, and unthinking of our leadership. Again, it is unsustainable and not futuristic for us as a continent. Africans must take their own development initiatives, proffer sustainable solutions to their problems in a manner granting Africa the very opportunity and roadmap to economic independence and break the vicious circle of dependence on the “waste” -Asia, America, Europe, etc. all in the name of collaborative partnerships which are in fact saprophytic in all senses.
Today, almost three decades on, what have we from such imperialist development and economic dictatorial events? Only dead traps!
What all these so-called development events do is take the lead with the big torchlight in the stormy darkness of the African forest- a forest only Africa knows about. How can Africans be led by imperialist foreigners, who don’t know Africa’s forest dynamics in Africa’s own land or forest?
Do you expect a poor man-“waste” not to be jealous of a rich man’s-Africa,s resources, and power? Waste cannot sustainably survive without Africa and that is the more reason, they come up with agendas and initiatives looking altruistic but carnival and vampire, in reality, to cajole simple-minded Africans into their games. For example, Education is better than silver and gold! The biggest lie ever! TICAD and its associates are all clear examples.
How long did it take Japan, and Singapore to develop after the Cold War?
TICAD is three decades old, yet, Africa is growing dependent by the minute with all its so-called great love, plans, and initiatives for african development. In fact, all TICAD series were held in Japan except just recently precisely in 2016 onwards. and with each TICAD series held in Tokyo, ask yourself: how much are hotels, airports, others generating from the invited and visiting Emblems and ambassadors of mental slavery- our presidents and prime ministers.
It is shameful to still see African leaders wasting taxpayer money to be participating in killing Africa’s future disguise in African development.
TICAD is a Cold War aftermath effort led by Tokyo to render Africa sterile and economically castrated and linked to “waste”. Participating in such only makes one a pawn and contributor to Africa’s economic, political and developmental castration disguised in collaborative partnerships.
In the case of The Gambia, our beloved country is sinking at the behest of the current government. Education system is poor, unsustainable and at best only turns potential assets into job seekers. Health of our economy is hanging on a fragile string, inflation is the reality of the day, security and safety is at all time low; our health care delivery systems are a dead trap especially for our great women in labour and road traffic accidents victims.
Our rank on the corruption index is disgraceful; our public enterprises and corporations have become training facilities of kleptomaniac degrees- theft and fraud. Our national sovereignity and security are untenable, uninsured and unsustainable in the hands of outsiders whose manifested attributes are egocentricity, self aggrandizement and enslaving us. Our beloved country and its resources are morgaged to selfish and saprophytic outsiders; crime and drugs is the new calling of our youths, politics of deceit and moral decadence; the order of the day.
Problem solving instituions have become problems themselves; injustice is on the rise. yet, we are not tied of slogans and sweet talk from the hypocrites!
I am not distracted. Typical average Gambian is celebrated for slaughtering a bull to celebrate the passing of a relative even when s/he could have used that bull in exchange for money to get the life-saving medical facilities for the deceased. After the feast on the bull; the progeny of the deceased relatives are usually left to rot in abject poverty and deprivation. Just like the police, you only hear their siren when you are already in the grave. This can’t save us. Again, what has TICAD achieved if not granting our leaders photo-up opportunities? How can foreigners, convene, converge and sponsor us to discuss our own internal issues? Wake up Gambia, wake up Africa! You cannot have a national dialogue but you can take a break from your holiday to answer to foreign-dominated imperialist nonsense. We are doomed. What is wrong with in fact joining in virtually; save taxpayer money, save the environment from jet pollution in this unprecedented crisis of climate change? Why can’t we save costs by digitizing such useless trips if and maybe when they are necessarily unavoidable? Wake up Gambia.
No one genuine and pan-Africanist soul will celebrate this gesture of president Barrow. Simple-mindedness is mediocrity at its best. We need to move up and appreciate systems thinking in all our endeavors to raise our sinking country and keep it afloat at least.
Disclaimer: The mistakes are entirely mine. I am not against partnerships and collaboration-national and international. I am just against the saprophytic ones.
