In spite of the enormity of human suffering and the institutional and societal rot which have characterised Africa, revolutions are not part of our experience. By revolution, I mean that “sudden and violent act that seeks not only to establish a new political system but to transform an entire society.” One cannot even point to “slow but sweeping transformations that take several generations to bring about.” But instead, African societies have been slow to change. Hence, many parts of the continent are stuck in the 16th century.
According to Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, “they smile even as they suffer.” Africans rejoice even in moments of pain and anguish. They embrace pollutions from other parts of the world. And they tolerate iniquities from their leaders and from the elite. That is Africa – a society that loathes sudden change. Growth and development will not come to Africa unless Africans are willing to embrace change and change agents. They must be willing to discard the old and embrace new ways of doing things.
For instance, they have to abandon the idea that (a) you must not speak ill of the dead; (b) that community elders and leaders cannot and must not be challenged or criticised; (c) that you must pardon and or overlook terrible and cold-hearted leaders and then call it “respect for elders and authority;” and (d) that they must pledge allegiance to religious and ethnic groups. Tolerating evil and mediocrity because of religious, sectional and ethnic sensibilities does not augur well for the continent and its people. Our allegiance must be to the state, the constitution and the collective.
Once we understand and faithfully embrace the idea that our allegiance must be to the state, the constitution and our common destiny, then, revolutions – violent revolutions — become possible. And violent revolution is what we truly need. This piecemeal approach to development has not worked for any African country. And unless we take personal responsibility for ourselves and our country, our leaders and the elite will continue on the current path – a path that has not benefited the vast majority of the people.
Everyone I know agrees Africa is a messed up continent. But not everyone I know agrees as to why the continent is the way it is. There are those who believe the continent is messed up due to several factors – factors that included slavery and colonialism and their residual effects. And of course there are the exploitative policies of western and non-western governments and their institutions. The litany of exogenous factors is almost limitless. And they may be right, partially right. It is hard to tell what Africa might have become without colonialism and slavery. After all, slavery drained the continent of its vigour and vitality.
However, slavery thrived for 500 years primarily because Africans were too willing to sell their own people. Colonialism and neocolonialism succeed because of the high number of elite who are too willing to cooperate with modern evil. There is no need blaming the victims, but really, the people themselves seem to enjoy being repressed and dehumanised. Otherwise, why do they turn the other cheek decade after decade of unparalleled suffering? What is it about us Africans that makes it easy for us to tolerate the intolerable?
In contrast to many parts of the world, tyranny, stupidity, fear, primordial sentiments and cowardice are still an acceptable currency in Africa. And especially in Nigeria, majority of the people have come to believe that “God’s time is the best.” In spite of the wanton lack of basic needs, millions are patiently waiting for God and or for a Rawlings to do what they ought to do for themselves: take control of their destiny.
While I do not totally discard the previous theory that explains the status quo in Africa, I believe we should focus more on internal factors. We should look inward. We should examine our own society. But more importantly, we should hold our leaders accountable for this mountain of grief. We ought to penalise those who encourage and promote wars and internal slavery and all forms of atrocities. And we must not tolerate leaders who weakened our public and governing institutions and who personalised the rule of law.
Many of the factors that led to large scale human misery have been prevented or mitigated in many part of the world — but not so in Africa where human suffering has become a permanent feature of the landscape. Many of the diseases that plague the continent are preventable. Ethnic, religious and resource wars are also preventable. Endemic corruption is preventable. If you are an African living in Africa, you may not know that humanitarian disasters are wholly preventable and or manageable.
Other than Haiti — founded by Africans and considered the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, and perhaps Afghanistan — Africa houses all the poorest and most wretched countries of the world. Yes, there are a few bright spots in Africa, but they are too few to matter. There are some enterprising and bright institutions, but they are way too few to mention when one is looking at the big picture. And indeed, every so often something wonderful and encouraging and significant comes out of the continent; but for the most part, nothing extraordinary comes out of Africa.
Of the many evils African leaders are known for, how they violate and personalise the rule of law is, perhaps, the most sickening. Many of their vices and iniquities flow from this. And we see this too clearly and too often in Nigeria. All these must stop! But how? Well, one cannot call for a military coup because coups are no longer fashionable. However, violent – not silent revolution – seems plausible.
Dr. A.H. Khayal (The Nation Magazine, October 14, 2011) wrote: “History unequivocally tells that there has never been such a thing as a silent revolution under the sun. Within the context of the human history, the phrase ‘silent revolution’ is a pure poetic gibberish. Every great nation is the creation of a ‘bloody revolution.’ The five nuclear powers are the greatest powers of the contemporary world. All these powers have been created by ‘bloody revolutions.’”
Is this where Nigeria is headed? I don’t know. All I know is that this suffering and misery and piecemeal approach must end. It must stop!
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