Africa Must Unite Against Neocolonialism And Imperialism

Over half a century ago, one of Africa’s most illustrious sons, Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah fearlessly fought for and led the present day Ghana to achieve independence from British colonial rule. At the time, Nkrumah did not only believe that the Blackman was capable of managing or worse still, mismanaging his own affairs, but he also foresaw and exposed the subtle machinations and exploitations by the Western powers to perpetually maintain the status quo by ensuring that the African continent and indeed most part of the world remained divided and for that matter incapacitated economically, politically, and most importantly militarily.

Evidently, at a time when the Europeans were consciously dividing and ruling Africa and other parts of the world through conquest, slavery, and later colonization which were necessitated by brute force and humiliation, they endeavored to remain united in their own backyards nationally, regionally, and continentally. This is because they knew then and now that in unity lies their strength. The good news for Africa was that Nkrumah and other like minded colleagues of his also knew this fact to be self evident.

As visionary as he was, Nkrumah knew that the only practicable way for Africa to effectively neutralize neocolonialism was for her to also remain united. That is why he was at the forefront of the quest for a United States of Africa and eloquently called for and actively encouraged, and supported the struggle for the total liberation of the African Continent from colonial rule. Nkrumah is also on record to have advocated for the establishment of Pan African Movements across the length and breadth of the continent all in a bid to ensure that Africa remained truly independent and united.

In his book; Neocolonialism, the last stage of Imperialism (1965) Nkrumah stated that “in place of colonialism as the main instrument of imperialism, we have today neocolonialism”. He also averred that foreign capital is used by the western powers for the exploitation rather than the development of the less developed parts of the world. Nkrumah stated repeatedly that under neocolonialism, foreign investment in less developed countries increases rather than decreases the gap between rich and poor countries of the world. He then called for a total reversal of this exploitative tendency.

It was therefore no surprising that the western powers, especially the Americans who saw Nkrumah as a real treat to their exploitation of the black race particularly, and the rest of the word orchestrated the overthrow of his regime, of course with the connivance of certain inward looking selfish African brothers and impliedly facilitated the demise of his vision for a United States of Africa. Again, it is not surprising that over four decades down the line, the US, UK, and France are leading a military attack against Lybia, which is one of the few most endowed and prosperous countries in Africa in terms of natural resources (oil).

The fundamental reason for the attack is to ostensibly ensure the overthrow of the regime of Colonel Muamar Ghadafy who has presided over his country for more than forty years to be replaced by unnamed armed “Libyan rebel group” supported by America and her allies. Isn’t it interesting? Am I the only person who doesn’t see the wisdom in all these? Someone help me. Do Libyans truly want to exchange forty years of political stability and infrastructural development under a dictator, who is one of their own kind for a regime by a bunch of rebels supported by America and her allies? By the way, has anybody realize that both the rebels and the pro Ghadafy forces are using European and American made lethal weapons to maim and kill non other people than their own fellow citizens and other innocent African nationals? The irony is that the Europeans and Americans were among the first to be evacuated by their governments who are leading this attack. When did America and her allies realize that democracy is best served with the use of brute force to change governments? This campaign against Libya is just a part of neocolonialism adventure by all intent and purpose.

In the contemporary African political arena, Muarmar Ghadafy has been and still is the embodiment of African Unity. Much as Nkrumah was a leading voice in the ideals of a united Africa and African personality, so is Muamar Ghadafy. Much as Nkrumah was critical of the then western imperialistic machination and exploitation, so is Muamar Ghadafy critical of the present day western exploitation. It is therefore not by coincidence that the very people who killed Nkrumah’s dream of a united Africa are today doing everything possible to ensure that Africa is disintegrated.

By the way, who doesn’t know that unlike in the past, US, UK, and France are respectively and collectively loosing their so-called global superiority? Who doesn’t know that the economies of these self acclaimed super powers are dwindling gradually and failing? Who doesn’t know that they are hanging in there economically through the goodwill of China, Russia, Germany, and other emerging economies in South America, Africa, and Asia? Who doesn’t know that the greatest fear of these failing economies is the emergence, economic superiority, and prosperity of oil producing countries? And who doesn’t know that these failing economies perceive oil producing countries as getting richer by the day due to their control over world crude oil pricing procedures which are at the mercy of OPEC and its affiliates?

In the recent past it was Iraq and Iran. Today they are in Libya, the next time it will be in Venezuela, Nigeria, and Saudi Arabia or may be Ghana not to observe free and fair elections, but to destroy their infrastructure, kill their leaders, and humiliate their citizenry all for the love of oil and power. Early this year, but for the timely intervention of the African Union, France attempted to use brute military force to settle an election dispute in Ivory Coast.

It is time for Africa to unite and resist the oppressors’ rule. Ghadafy is not the enemy of Africa and the world. The enemy is the 21st century form of neocolonialism and imperialism which uses brute military force against emerging economies not only in Africa but throughout the world. No country in the world has the moral right to decide who should be the leaders of other sovereign countries. It is the inherent obligation of citizens of each country to choose their own leaders through non violence processes.

In the 21st century I expect America and her so called allies to encourage and support smooth, non violence, well thought out constitutional democratic change of governments not only in Africa but throughout the world. The use of military force, civil disturbances and violence to change political regimes belong to the past. Any attempt to use military force to settle disputes either political or otherwise is self defeating at best. America’s “unsuccessful” invasion in Iraq is still fresh in our memories. Enough is enough. Above all, I dare say that Africa Must Unite.

By Justice Afrikhan.