About 100 Years ago the colonial powers of Europe were consolidating their hold on Africa with guns and germs. New countries were being forged from the spoils of the Berlin conference that carved up Africa.
Today, almost every part of Africa is bleeding and in shambles despite that every part of the continent is supposedly independent.
The irony of the present day scenario is that the only country in Africa without global recognition, Somaliland is the most peaceful piece of real estate in Africa. East Africa Especially the horn of Africa has been in turmoil since the collapse of Somalia in the 1990s.
Africa was “Rising” some years ago but the present picture does not inspire such lofty slogan.
The visionary founders of the Organisation of African Unity, OAU, that later translated to the African Union will be disappointed with the present state of affairs.
They wanted an Africa united and committed to progress. But they also laid the foundation for the current problems in Africa. Their rule of preserving the inherited colonial boundaries have spawn almost all the wars in Africa. The other rule of non-interference in the internal affairs of sister nations is another source of conflict.
READ: News: Why conflict and coups are suddenly spreading across the African continent
Today the Zulus of South Africa are deporting to Zimbabwe the grand children of Zulu Kings who sired new tribes while running from conflict at home under King Shaka reign. South Africa just expelled Zimbabweans.
Today Islam a religion of peace has spawned murderous Jihadists in West Africa and the Sahel.
Today brothers in South Sudan who share the common faith of Catholicism are slitting throats of women and children even after the Pope kissed their feet and bound them to peace.
Today the oldest Christian nation in Africa and a bastion of ancient civilisation, Ethiopia is fallen into devilish violence and war that includes mass rapes, starvation and massacres in the Tigray region.
The big nation of Congo has become a practice ground for all Kinds of bush warfare even as it’s very rich ground is both exploited and bespoiled. Many nations are fighting in Congo.
Today Africa’s biggest nation of Nigeria is hobbled by strange catchphrases and patchwork of bloodletting by Boko Haram Terrorists, ISWAP Jihadists, Fulani Bandits, Biafran insurrectionists and unknown gunmen.
Its neighbour Cameroon suffers same problems. Chad is at War and Niger is under pressure by Jihadists.
Coup D’etats are back in vogue in Africa. Sudan, Egypt, Mali, Guinea all have military leaders.
The Russians are playing in Central Africa and Mali. Turkey is offering war drones to African leaders. So expect more civil wars as the new drones are put to use. UAE is meddling in Libya Ethiopia and Somalia. Qatar and Saudi Arabia are present in Sudan and Mali. More external powers are jumping into internal crisis in Africa.
Africa is no more the exclusive preserve of super powers. Even small nations are meddling in Africa.
Tunisia had a civilian coup the type we have not seen since the 1960s.
Mozambique is under pressure from Islamic Warriors.
Rwanda is in hot pursuit and pacification battles in Mozambique and by its borders.
Uganda once the hotbed of murderous bush warriors later became a haven of peace but with a President in power for over 30 Years insurrection has reared its ugly head with the recent bombings.
Kenya has been under the intermittent cosh of Somali jihadists raiders from across its borders. It is still on guard even as it enjoys moments of peace. This is hoping that its forthcoming election does not reopen old wounds.
Algeria has not escaped from the desires of Al-Qaeda in the Maghrebs AQIM to capture it.
Libya has been carved up by Warlords supported by Turkey, UAE and Russia. This is after France supported by the United States bombed the country and had its leader Muammar Gaddafi murdered.
Mauritania has ethnic and minority crisis laced with reported cases of 21st century slavery.
Morocco is still seeking to fully takeover the Sahrawi Arab Republic of West Africa as its territory.
Coupled with this bloodshed is the little Issue of sit tight leaders who took over in the 80s. At the height of IMF and its conditionalities which demanded political and economic reforms in Africa. Dictators who implemented these reforms were given passes to become “elected Presidents”. Since then they have refused to hand over power.
Today you can count on your fingers how many African Nations are free, democratic, peaceful and prosperous.
So what is the role of AU the African Union? Since the activist days of Madam Dlamini-Zuma former AU President from South Africa things have gone quiet in Addis Ababa.
AU has been more of a staid bureaucracy, passing files and Issuing statements that could not be implemented.
Some fresh ideas have since come out of the Chinese built offices of AU in Ethiopia even as China is accused of financially colonising Africa.
AU came out with the African Free Movement Agreements leading to the African Passport. Only 4 Nations have signed up to this idea since 2018. Most Non Africans can visit more countries in Africa than most Africans.
It launched the Single Africa Air Transport Market SAATM leading to the African Open Skies. Over 30 countries have signed up but no one is implementing it. Nothing has changed. Non-African Airlines still dominate Africa.
AU then launched the World’s largest Free Trade Zone, AFCTA. Though this is the newest of its 3 integration projects it seems to be moving faster than the other 2. It has a functional secretariat in Accra, Ghana and a South African as CEO. It is moving at a good pace.
But without Free Movement of people and goods, AFCTA will look like building a pyramid from the top. The 3 integration projects have to be implemented together to have any Kind of impact.
Those countries that want AFCTA to work are not interested in SAATM working. Those that support SAATM do not support African Passport. So without a continental consensus the Agenda 2063 is imperilled.
Failed Regional attempts at Integration
Economic Community of West Africa ECOWAS took the Lead in free Movement for all its Citizens across 15 Countries but it has since been stuck at that point since 1973. No Free Trade Zone and no Open Skies within West Africa. Even the phones in West Africa are roamed. Same for East Africa, COMESA? CEMAC, SADDC and IGAD.
If all the 6 African Zones had free movement within their Zones the Next step would have been to link one Economic Zone to the other. That never happened.
Africa is lost in an Identity Crisis
Who is an African? The answer is the source of all the problems of Africa.
The African has been defined by their Colonial overlords into Francophone Africa, Lusophone Africa, PALOPS Africa, Arab Africa and Anglophone Africa. The African has fallen in love with this destructive identity and is fighting wars to defend and protect the errors of the 1884 Berlin Conference that divided peoples of Africa.
When Haiti the first African country to gain Independence in the World applied to join the AU Members of AU turned down the application.
Though the African Diaspora is touted as the 6th region of AU the citizens of that region enjoy no African right on the continent.
Africa needs new ideas the kind Professor PLO Lumumba, Dr. Arikana Chihombori Quao and Julius Malema are championing.
It seems like what happened in the early 1900s. Maybe the fresh idea for Africa will have to come from the Diaspora. Marcus Garvey inspired the First Generation of African leaders who birthed the Independence Movement in Africa.
A new Marcus Garvey needs to arise to save Africa from itself.
By Ikechi Uko
