Africa\’s True Liberation

Africa\’s True Liberation

I find it challenging to understand the coups that occur in Africa. Some of them are believed to be orchestrated by former colonialists, while others are seen as anti-former colonialists.

Many Pan-Africanists mourn the deaths of Thomas Sankara, Muammar Gaddafi, wishing they were still alive, and they praise the achievements of these leaders during their rule. These Pan-Africanists also eloquently condemn coups and advocate for a free and united Africa.

However, I recently watched a documentary that mentioned after Thomas Sankara, the former leader of Burkina Faso was assassinated, there was an unusual silence among the people. Despite his praised achievements, there were no witnessed protests or other forms of agitation, which one would expect for a leader with such acclaim.

Similarly, we often hear a lot about Muammar Gaddafi, but it\’s intriguing that we don\’t hear much from Libyans themselves, not even from their current rulers. There seems to be a lack of regret or mourning over Gaddafi\’s killing. This raises questions about whether Libyans truly liked him, unlike the rest of Africa.

Presently, we have witnessed citizens openly support a military coup in Niger, expressing their desire to break away from the influence of their former colonialist. However, what they might not be aware of is that the coup leaders are publicly allied with powers in the East. This situation brings us back to the previous discussion on whether true liberation exists in Africa.

In conclusion, I am still puzzled about what Africans truly want in terms of leadership. Can the African Union, former colonial powers, or the East powers really \”help\” Africa out of its struggles with bad governance, violence, poverty, hunger, and a destroyed dignity? Or is it up to Africa to find its own solutions and path forward? These are complex questions that require thoughtful consideration and collaboration towards the realization of the full autonomous potential of Africa.

-By Boniface Muema Harrison