Africa, the default continent of every Black person anywhere in the world. The continent that has sets numerous world records including attaining independence from colonial nations in an average of fifty years compared to more than two centuries that it took countries like; United States, India, Canada, West Indies, the Caribbean and so on to get independence. Africa was able to liberate itself then from the shackles of oppression, exploitation and abuse owing to the foresight, peaceful, resilience, fearless, courageous, consistent, ambitious, and the daring nature of our founding fathers. Africans are people with values, people who are always true and genuine with their actions. Although, the aforementioned is what the imperial nations took advantage of and upon realizing, Africans woke up and confronts the imperial nations head-on.
Amilcar Lopes da Costa Cabral, one of the founding fathers of Guinea Bissau despite the ironhanded rule of the Portuguese Colonial Government, was undeterred right from his days as a student activist till he was assassinated on January 20th 1973, just few months to independence. Cabral in one of his last public appearance said that; “Always bear in mind that the people are not fighting for ideas, for the things in anyone’s head. They are fighting to win material benefits, to live better and in peace, to see their lives go forward. Above all, to guarantee the future of their children”. I remembered reading his biography, “Amilcar Cabral: Revolutionary Leadership and People’s War” written by Patric Chabal. The writer wrote; “In less than twenty years of active political life, Cabral led Guinea Bissau’s nationalist to the most complete political and military success ever achieved by an African political movement against a colonial power. His influence extended beyond Lusophone and Africa. His writings have shown him to be a sophisticated analyst of the social, economic and political factors which have affected and continue to affect the developing world”.
Unfortunately, here we are in Africa today being relegated by our own kinsmen to the useful term that George Orwell termed as “unperson” which refers to the creatures denied personhood because they don’t abide by state doctrine. The state resources is only for those in the corridors of power and everything is done for their benefits including the enacted laws of the state. It is very sad to learn that our shallow minded kinsmen are crippling us in a bid to enrich themselves and to keep themselves in power. That reminds me of “The most important assassination of the 20th century” as described by Luddo De Witte, referring to the assassination of Patrice Lumumba. He was killed by his own countrymen, the people that he has spent all his life fighting for. Obviously, his killers forgot his Independence speech in which Patrice Lumumba told the world without fear or mincing words that; “No Congolese will ever forget that independence was won in struggle, a persevering and inspired struggle carried on from day to day, a struggle in which we were undaunted by prevention or suffering and stinted neither strength nor blood. It was filled with tears, fire and blood. We are deeply proud of our struggle because it was just and noble and indispensable in putting an end to the humiliating bondage forced upon us”. Patrice Lumumba is a brilliant and fearless leader. He was once asked in an interview if he was a communist and he said; “This is a propagandist trick aimed at me. I am not a Communist. The Colonialist have campaigned against me throughout the country because I am revolutionary and demand the abolition of the Colonial regime which ignored human dignity. They took upon me as a Communist because I refused to be bribed by the Imperialist”.
I believe if you ask people anywhere in Africa about their fears and aspirations, their answers will be more or less the same except for some few difference. This is a simple truth and if accepted, we would not be witnessing such rise in violence, persecution, misery, poverty and endless tragedies. If we understood that equality, justice, unity and solidarity are the key to our salvation, Africa would have been a better place. Also, if we consider our population as a source strength not a liability we must contain and if we realized that most disagreement ends in conciliation which implies that no matter how bitter the enmity we should not burn our bridges. Africans if they care to examine all National issues, they will find out that the quest for equality, fairness and justice is the key factor behind it all. We need to understand that we have equal right in our homeland and that automatically entitles us to be partners in its governance. Justice must be guaranteed and should apply to anyone without favor, fear or discrimination.
In addition, it should be noted that Africa is home to some of the world’s most precious natural resources like copper, diamond, uranium, cobalt, gold and lots more. There is nothing missing other than visionary leaders, leaders with the continent at heart, selfless leaders that puts service over ambition. Leaders with decency and compassion. Indeed, this writing will not be complete without mentioning a living legend and a true example of the leaders that we need; “Mohamed Mustafa ElBaradei”. He is a principled Egyptian diplomat who served as the 4th Director General of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and also, the Vice President of Egypt. On 14th August 2013, he humbly resigned from his position as the Vice President, just months after inauguration following a violent crackdown by security forces on protesters in which at least 525 people were killed. In his resignation letter, he stated; “I always saw a peaceful alternatives for resolving this societal wrangling. Certain solutions were proposed which could have led to National conciliation but things have come this far. It has become difficult for bearing the responsibility for decisions with which I do not agree and the consequences of which I fear. I cannot bear the responsibility for a single drop of blood before God, before my own conscience or the citizens”.
The aforementioned is one of the African Values, the values that we should uphold. And just like the famous quote of Amilcar Cabral; “Tell no lies, claim no easy victory, tell it to the people the way it is”. African youths should never forget that there is no substitute to reading especially the knowledge of history, arming ourselves with knowledge and that we should be proud of our origin. Above all, let us revive the African Values, the values that flows in the veins of every African as we have inherited it from our founding fathers!
-MUHAMMAD BASHIR-
