The military angle to the resurgence of Pan- Africanism

At independence in 1957, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah declared the birth of a new African, who was ready to solve Africa’s problems. He further declared that Ghana’s independence was for the whole of Africa, adding that “the independence of Africa was inextricably linked to the independence of the rest of Africa.” He therefore urged all Africans to rally behind the post-independence leaders to prove to the world that the African can manage his or her own affairs, given the chance. “We shall not sleep any longer, we are going to demonstrate that the new African personality and identity can solve Africa’s problems.”

With this declaration, Ghana became the Black Star that arose and represented hope for the continent. In fact, Ghana started very well at independence through industrialization and home-grown solutions. Sadly, along the line western leaders who feared the rise of the Black Star sponsored a military coup in Ghana, using disgruntled and selfish police and military personnel.   Since then, Ghana’s political and economic development went on a reverse gear and never recovered at the behest of Western powers.

Similar trend

A similar trend of destabilising Africa unfolded in other African countries that supported Kwame Nkrumah’s vision, like Guinea, Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of Congo), Mali, Togo, Upper Volta ( now Burkina Faso) and Guinea Bissau among others.  In fact, Africa has suffered more Western-backed military coups than any continent in the world, fundamentally because of the ideological agenda of the West to continue to dominate and control Africa’s resources.  For good or for worse, there are more Western military bases in Africa, than any continent, with the agenda to protect Western interests and to continue exploiting the continent’s resources.

New struggle

Currently, the new struggle for the liberation of Africa has been rekindled by the courageous military rulers of Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso. Ibrahim Traore of Burkina Faso and Assimi Goïta and Abdourahamane Tchiani of Mali and Niger are rekindling the Pan-Africanism spirit. Their efforts are being augmented by the new leaders of Senegal, President Basirou Diomaye Faye and Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko. These leaders are gaining widespread support among well-meaning Africans and Africans in the diaspora. Probably, the era when military coups were instigated by the west to serve their political and economic interests are over in Africa. In fact, the new leaders of Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger and Senegal have so far demonstrated that a new African leadership has emerged as prophesied by Kwame Nkrumah in his famous independence speech.

It is heartening that Pan-Africanism is taking centre stage in current discussions on the future of Africa. However, Africa’s former colonial powers will not sit back and watch Africa to unite and take control of her natural resources. Ideologically, western countries think they have a divine right to continue dominating and exploiting Africa.  Western powers have designated four African countries, one each from the four territories as a strategy to counter any attempt at reviving Pan-Africanism. These countries include; Nigeria (West Africa), South Africa (Southern Africa), Kenya (East Africa) and Egypt (North Africa).

Nigeria

The notion is that if you control Nigeria, you control West Africa. Nigeria is Africa’s most populous country with more than 150 million people.  Over the years, western powers have helped sponsored and equipped the Nigerian army to become the strongest in West Africa. Theoretically the Nigeria economy is the biggest, though practically Nigeria lags in economic development with more than 13 million people living under abject poverty and unable to afford three meals a day. Despite Nigeria’s poor infrastructure western powers have invested in Nigeria’s army for strategic reasons. They have also succeeded in undermining the South African Rand to present Nigeria as the biggest economy in Africa, for which reason Nigerians do not need the rest of Africa.

Historically, many Nigeria’s have never welcomed the idea of Pan-Africanism which could shift the balance of power in West Africa. They feel they are the top dogs in Africa and this feeling is supported by western powers. In fact, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa who served as the first and only prime minister of Nigeria after independence challenged and undermined Kwame Nkrumah’s Pan- Africanism agenda. He has been described as a conservative Anglophile, who favoured maintaining close ties with the British Empire after independence. Balewa’s anti-Pan-Africanism has over the years trickled into the minds of both past and current Nigerians.

Egypt

Egypt is also strategic to the west in their plan to control north Africa. Egypt is superior militarily and economically in North Africa. It is linked by a good road network and air transport compared with Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia and Libya which was destroyed by western powers for Muamar Gaddafi’s attempt to revive Pan-Africanism.  Like Nigeria, the west has pampered Egyptians to feel that they are the most important people in North Africa. This explains why western powers destroyed Libya which was emerging as a counterforce to Egypt. In short, when you control Egypt, you control the entire North Africa. Egypt’s current stance against Pan-Africanism is shocking because its post-independence leaders supported the move to unite Africa.

Kenya

Similarly, Kenya is well placed strategically and economically in east Africa. Kenya is connected by road and air to Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania and Ethiopia. Over the years, western powers invested in making the Kenyan army the strongest in East Africa, for the obvious reasons of using it for political control in the region. The Kenyan army is keeping peace in Somalia with the sponsorship of western countries. A few weeks ago, Kenyan military and police arrived in Haiti for peacekeeping with western backing. The deployment of Kenyan troops in Somalia and Haiti forms part of western plans to empower Kenya as a strategic ally to keep the rest of East Africa under check.

During President Willaim Ruto’s recent visit to the White House, President Joe Biden declared plans to make Kenya a strategic ally of United States.   Thus, with the support of the west Kenya has a firm grip on East Africa. Some political analysts have suggested that William Ruto is being empowered by the west become an alternative voice to the new military rulers of Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso and lately Senegal, who have rekindled the spirit of Pan-Africanism. Historically, many Kenyans like, Nigerians were never interested in Pan-Africanism, originally mooted by Kwame Nkrumah and other early post-independent leaders.

The lone voice forf Pan-Africanism in the entire East Africa is Prof PLO Lumumba, who is hated by some Kenyans for his anti-western and Pan-Africanist stance.  Prof Lumumba lost a parliamentary election for that reason.  Nonetheless, things have recently taken a twist for good, because some Kenyans are beginning to see the value for continental unity. During the ongoing Gen-Z demonstrations, I saw placards calling for African unity. Other placards advocated for an end to foreign control of Africa’s politics and exploitation of her natural resources.

South Africa

The final country for the western control of Africa is South Africa. Despite theoretical arguments that Nigeria is the biggest economy, realistically South Africa is Africa’s biggest economy. It has a good network of roads and an airline linking the rest of Southern Africa. Given the level of development, South Africa was expected to be helping other countries poor countries with technological transfers; but it appears that the country is interested in solving its internal problems, rather helping other sister countries. This is demonstrated by xenophobic attacks on other Africans by South African youth. Many South African youth see their fellow Africans as a threat, rather than the perpetrators of racism and Apartheid who subjugated them for centuries.

Despite South Africa’s internal problems, western powers still see the country as strategic to control Southern Africa.  Consequently, western powers were scared when South Africa joined the BRICS bloc, comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. Recently, South Africa also severed diplomatic relations with Israel because of the ongoing atrocities Israel is committing in Palestine. This displeased western leaders and for that reason, Cyril Ramaphosa, and his ANC government paid dearly. In fact, some political analysts think that the west was pushing for a regime change in the just ended elections in South Africa. One clear signal is that any country that opposes Israel and the west will suffer pollical and economic consequences.

Like Egypt, Nigeria and Kenya, South African Blacks have been pampered to have the false sense that they are the best in Africa, with the biggest economy. They also believe that they do not need other Africans and for that matter are not enthused about Pan-Africanism. This is why they voted against Julius Malema and his Economic Freedom Fighters. Julius Malema campaigned on a Pan-Africanist agenda and was punished by the South African electorate for daring to push African unity. He slumped from third to fourth in ranking, thus further scuttling his Pan-Africanist agenda.

As indicated earlier, the average South African Black sees his or her fellow African as more of a threat than their previous colonisers. This suggests why Black South Africans continually vote for Democratic Alliance (DA), formed and led by former perpetrators of Apartheid. As things stand now, it is only a matter of time for DA to assume power in South Africa. In election after election DA continues to solidify its power as the second force and could signal the return of Apartheid.  DA states in its manifesto that they will not return confiscated land to Black South Africans, contrary to EFF’s plan to return all white dominated lands to Blacks. Yet, Black South Africans voted for the DA and were seen in videos celebrating with its leader, John Steenhuisen.

 

(***The writer is a Development and Communications Management Specialist, and a Social Justice Advocate.  All views expressed in this article are my personal views and do not, in any represent those of any organization(s). (Email: safoamos@gmail.com. Mobiles: 0202642504/ 0243327586