Insights into the Spectrum of Africa's Weaknesses, Strengths and Challenges
By Kestér Kenn Klomegâh
In this insightful interview, Emeritus Professor Timothy Uzodinma Nwala, the Chairman of Alaigbo Development Foundation(ADF) Congress, a Nigerian-based Pan Igbo Socio-Cultural and Political Organization, explains that African leaders have come to the awareness of the unique manifestations of the bleak past, but a lot still depends on the background and character of those in control of their national political affairs in the emerging multipolar world. Ultimately, all African countries are bound to wake up to a common understanding of the true meaning of their colonial past for the present and for future existence. And in fact, the leaders and the elites have to play their roles as autonomous actors on the stage of world history instead of being pawns in global politics. Here are the interview excerpts:
Q: To begin with, how would you characterize the sentiments
and attitudes of African leaders towards the contemporary geopolitical
situation? How specifically different is the case in Nigeria?
Prof.
Timothy Uzodinma Nwala: The sentiments and attitudes of African leaders
towards the contemporary geo-political situation in the world reflects
diversities characteristic of a people who seem to have lived in
different geopolitical spaces and historical eras. There are
commonalities depending on who have been colonized by who and which
region has experienced what character of colonial influences.
There
may be differences depending on the background of the leaders
themselves. There are however some major explosive new awarenesses about
the past - about various forms and wreckages of colonialism as
manifested in different regions of the world. It is not that mankind was
unaware of the horrors of colonialism. Reflecting over these horrors of
the past of mankind, what comes readily to mind is that the term 'State
of Nature' of Charles Darwin reflects truly mankind's past. Even today,
civil governance and the global system have only moderated this bleak
past of mankind's history.
Those of
mankind who happen, in some instances and circumstances, to truly
manifest what is supposed to be the ideal state of affairs- these are
the God-men, but they are certainly in the minority. African leaders who
have come to the awareness of the unique manifestations of this bleak
past in the image of colonialism do so depending on their history as
well as the prevailing political and social dynamics of their countries
and societies. A lot also depends on the background and character of
those in control of their political affairs.
Q:
What are the dynamics, in the emerging multipolar order, for ensuring
Africa's unity set by the African Union? Is Africa disintegrating due to
sharp existing political differences in the continent?
TUN:
The dynamics in the prevailing multipolar state of affairs reflects the
background of the leaders as well as on how currents regional and
global struggle impinge on their various countries. The Southern African
experience is not exactly the same as the West African experience. That
past affects current sentiments and alliances. Thus, the experience of
the Southern Africa under apartheid critically affects the attitude of
their patriotic leaders in the current global political dynamics.
There
are bound to hiccups on the dynamics of contemporary African Union, but
the obvious trend is that ultimately all African countries are bound to
wake up to a common understanding of the true meaning of their colonial
past for the present and future existence. The younger generation of
African leaders are bound to return to the heydays of pan-African dream
of a united and free peoples playing their role as autonomous actors on
the stage of world history instead of being pawns in global politics.
Q:
How would you suggest Africa positions itself within the context of
these geopolitical complexities and contradictions? Should Africa also
strengthen its agency and state institutions into more effective
instruments for promoting sustainable development?
TUN:
Pan- Africanism is bound to surge rather than wane under contemporary
dynamics. Current realignments are geared towards freedom and equality
and not towards exchanging one master for another. The songs of freedom
is bound to echo and re-echo throughout the continent. The spirit of
pan~Africanist of the Nkrumah, Nyerere, Jomoh Kenyatta, Azikiwe and
their generation is bound to be the guiding spirit of the new Africa
knocking on the horizon. The emerging new wave of Pan-Africanism is
bound to conjure a new dynamism for broader autonomy and freedom.
Q:
Nigeria and a few other African countries are feverishly looking for a
voice on international stage. Do you think BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India,
China and South Africa) association's membership for African countries
could be the saviour and mechanism through which to raise the level of
development?
TUN: Yes indeed. Nigeria's current
challenge is that it presently has a leadership which many Nigerians
consider as imposed by the dictates and dynamism of imperialist
manipulation. The regime lacks self-confidence and is bound to continue
to rely on its masters to sustain its illegitimacy. Only who knows how
far Nigerians will carry this present burden before it can free herself.
The only hope is the possibility of the raging songs of freedom now all
over the various nationalities sustaining itself and rejiggering itself
to overcome the current forces of illegitimacy and fraud. BRICS is
bound to conjure a lot of influence in the face of this longing for
freedom.
But BRICS will derive a
position purpose if African leaders make it a duty to learn from the
lessons of classical colonial and neo-colonial domination. However, I do
hope that the impact of the wave of radical freedom and pan-Africanism
now raging in contemporary Africa will grow into a dynamic wave of
liberation and freedom of the new Africa.
Q:
But there are also a number of internal hindrances, for example, poor
development policies, bureaucracy and non-transparency, and worse lack
of good governance. What are your views here especially when tracking
democracy and governance across Africa?
TUN: The
immediate post-colonial era in several countries in Africa (especially
in the late fifties and sixties of the last century) portrayed immense
hope of a new era of 'love and happiness'). The messianic posture of the
leaders played into the hands of the imperialists who preferred puppets
to be charge rather than genuine patriotic leaders of the people.
Poor
political stratagem made things worse as the patriotic leaders
over-estimated their political strength and grossly underestimated the
power of the imperialists. This was the undoing of such patriotic
leaders like Dr Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana, Patrice Lumumba of the Congo and
Col. Ghadaffi of Libya. The later had opportunity to engage in done
radical transformation before the imperialists struck.
There
were however some leaders who engaged in personal aggrandizements and
many cases engaged in dictatorial and ethnic policies and for whom the
state was like the case of Louis IV, equated with their personalities
-Letat est moi!” There is no doubt that was the case in Nigeria, the
leadership was largely dictatorial and corrupt.
Q:
Are military coups the surest way to deal with old governance system
which is fraught with deep-seated corruption, as it appears, especially
in West Africa? Is growing neo-colonialism the problem in these
French-speaking countries?
TUN: Three forces were at
play in provoking military coups in several post-colonial states in
Africa especially in the sixties and seventies. These included bad
governance and arrogance of the new leaders, the thrust of
neo-colonialism and ambition of other citizens. Often the last two were
in alliance - that is to the neo-colonial forces went into alliance with
high ambitions, especially those in the military to overthrow those in
power. This picture could be seen in all post-European colonial states.
Q:
What would be the future relations of African states that opposed
United States hegemony and Europe's exploitative attitudes? Do you also
think Russia compared to China presents an alternative for Africa's
development and attaining Africa's economic sovereignty?
TUN: Ultimately, two factors explain attraction of Russia and China to the new African leaders.
The
first was the positive role of Russia in the struggle against
Apartheid. Many have pointed out that President Vladimir Putin himself,
the current leader of Russia was a young KGB officer who worked with the
ANC and helped to train their anti-Apartheid forces.
And
then, there is no doubt that Russia and China represent a more tolerable
leadership than the Western and European countries. As to which of the
two presents a more positive alternative, one can only say future will
tell!
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Insights into the Spectrum of Africa's Weaknesses, Strengths and Challenges
By Kestér Kenn Klomegâh In this insightful interview, Emeritus Professor Timothy Uzodinma Nwala, the Chairman of Alaigbo Development Foundation(ADF) Congress, a Nigerian-based Pan Igbo Socio-Cultural and Political Organization, expl