In spite of all the criticisms about him, or mistakes he may have made, there's one thing I admire about Colonel Muammar al-Gaddafi -- his pan-Africanism. He has been calling for a united African nation for decades.
Some might argue that I support a united Africa since I am Nigerian, and since it is likely that Nigeria, being the most populous African country, will dominate. The truth about my reasons cannot be farther. In fact, Nigeria's tradeoffs in pursuit of a united Africa, will be enormous.
Back to Gaddafi. He has argued that an African unity government is the only way Africa can develop cohesively and consistently, and without interference by outside powers. However, many African leaders and technocrats have resisted the idea of a united Africa. They say it will encroach on their sovereignty. Some of these African leaders and elites say they cannot be expected to cede sovereignty to any African bloc just decades after they wrested it away from their colonial masters.
Other people have doubted the practicality of a unity African government. Incidentally, some of the biggest skeptics have not even given fair consideration to the idea. Rather, they have hastily dismissed it as an unrealistic dream.
Some others have said that the idea of Africa as a single nation is dead since it hasn't happened, after decades of speeches, discussions and arguments. They cite the difficulties and disappointments experienced within Arab nationalist movements, especially the collapse of the United Arab Republic (UAR) that President Gamal Abdel Nasser of Egypt formed with Syria, and which Iraq was said to have considered joining. The cynics also cite the demise of the United Arab States (UAS), a short-lived confederation of the United Arab Republic (UAR), and North Yemen.
A few other people (mainly non-Africans) have accused Colonel Gadaffi of being a power-hungry man who wants to rule the whole of Africa. But, this might be a very disingenuous supposition on the part of these critics. While, like other politicians, Gadaffi may want to hold on to power for as long as possible, he has not given any indication that he wants to rule the whole of Africa. In actual fact, there may be other Africans that may clamor for him to lead. And by the way, Colonel Gadaffi is not the only African that is seriously committed to pan-African movement. I have included a list of forty-six other major pan-Africanists in the later part of this article. They cannot be accused of being motivated by a quest for personal political power. The fact is that many pan-Africanists do not have personal political ambitions. Therefore, it would be wrong to accuse Colonel Gadaffi or other pan-Africanists as power-hungry barons.
I submit to everyone that the idea of a single African nation is very essential, very workable and that is not dead. If anything at all, Africa can learn from the mistakes of the UAR and UAS movements, and the disillusionment their failures caused pan-Arabists. This would be necessary so as to craft better strategies for the African cause. So, I submit that the idea of a united Africa will not die until it is realized.
One can only imagine the level of progress Africa would have made by now if the various nation states had united (even if they had just confederated) and pulled their resources together.
Despite all the the negativities, Colonel Gadaffi's ideas of this single African state have been supported by many Africans owing to his extraordinary reputation, tenacity and pragmatism in parts of the continent.
One of his supporters, Maliviwe Bata stated on July 29, 2010:
"On Africa in unity, this dream will one day soon be a reality. The skeptics will swallow their tongues."
Maliviwe Bata's belief in Brother Leader Colonel Gaddafi's ideas of a single African state is not isolated. In fact, there are calls for improved ties between the single Africa bloc and South American countries. Johan Pieterse, another supporter of Brother Leader Gaddafi, and who also supports closer African/South American cooperation, added on September 27, 2009;
"... I think it's innovative and a step towards self-empowerment. I'm tired of rich nations buying all the economic rights to natural resources of the poorer countries. I'm convinced that EU and US policies are designed to keep them (the US and EU) in a position of power and economic strength."
Hundreds of millions of Africans, including Africans in the diaspora, share Maliviwe's and Pieterse's beliefs in the pragmatism of Brother Leader Gaddafi's ideas. As a matter of fact, mathematical projections show that there could be 300 million - 500 million Africans who believe in Colonel Gaddafi's ideas and regard him as their hero. Indeed, his words and ideas are well treasured by a majority of Africans (and quite a sizable part of the international community including the United States, Canada, Europe, South America and Asia).
I urge African nations to seriously consider forming a unity government.
And, I'll say that a united Africa is critical and very realistic.
Great Potentials!
Africa is endowed with enormous natural resources. The region accounts for nearly 10% of the entire oil and gas reserves in the World. It also accounts for a sizable percentage of deposits of diamonds, gold, iron, cobalt, uranium, copper, bauxite, silver, petroleum, woods and tropical fruits.
Africa has lots of its natural resources undiscovered or barely tapped.
The geography of Africa comprises of vast waters and lands that abound with sea creatures, wild life and arable lands. Africa contains many of lakes and rivers, allowing for small fishing industry for the natives. The deep rivers of Africa have significant hydroelectric value. The Atlantic and Indian Oceans allow further enterprises such as large scale fishing mining and offshore oil drilling. Its coastlines are teeming with fish and other sea life.
Without imported pollution and dangerous greenhouse gases emanating from Western and Asian nations, African nations will have the most serene environments in the world. But, with more unity and greater power, Africa can resist such imported pollution.
Africa is the second largest continent. With a population of 1 billion people, only China and India have more population than Africa. As a single nation, it would be the third largest country.
But the diversity and richness in Africa has neither translated to commensurate prosperity nor strength. Africans are too fractured. They fail to realize that there is great strength in numbers, and continue a downward spiral as a result of disunity.
Africans are still beholden to their colonial masters who created arbitrary maps on them. And, Africa's neo-colonial masters are still mapping out how Africa should be divided and exploited.
To understand what the West might have in mind for Africa, one needs go no further than some recorded words about the thoughts of America and Britain about our Arab brothers and sisters.
Daniel Yergin's masterpiece called "The Prize: The Epic Quest for Oil, Money and Power", written in 1991 recalled the words of American President Franklin D. Roosevelt as he addressed a British Ambassador in 1944.
Here's what the American president told the Briton:
"Persian oil …is yours. We share the oil of Iraq and Kuwait. As for Saudi Arabian oil, it’s ours."
Obviously, there were no Arabs; no Persians, no Iraqis, no Kuwaitis and no Saudi Arabians in that meeting that decided who was going to own their oil. Logically, there would be no Africans in a meeting on the allocation of their land and resources among the world powers. Maybe after the decision has been made overseas, African leaders would be manipulated, intimidated or enticed into helping to implement the schemes. No doubt, a more united Africa will preclude such an insult on a great people and give them more say over how foreign nations can participate in tapping their resources.
A fragmented Africa plays into the hands of those seeking to dominate it perpetually.
Of course, divide-and-rule strategies have been classical strategies to maintain stronghold on a people. The colonial masters craftily employed divide-and-rule strategies and it worked very well for them. Conversely, they amalgamated tiny disparate entities to foment internal discord so they can maintain their central powers while the subjects -- Africans quarreled among themselves.
But it's a shame that Africans have not been able to extricate themselves from the dubious divide-and-rule legacy of the colonial masters. Consequently, African countries and some of their leaders have continued to undermine each other. By contrast, the European Union (EU), the United States of America (USA), the Organization of American States (OAS), the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) are all cooperating more closely to preserve their interests than the African Union (AU) (and the Arab League) are doing.
In Africa, the leaders and certain elements of the society are actually perpetuating divisiveness to preserve their narrow interests. This internal rancor has also been fueled by some Western powers that have installed or sustained tyrannic dictators in Africa, in order to emasculate the people and keep the oil, gold and diamonds flowing yonder.
The effect of Africa's decentralization is that, in spite of the formation of the African Union, African countries still cannot resolve such serious matters as backwardness, hunger, disease, religious and ethnic conflicts.
Africa - Maybe, It's Time to Seriously Consider Colonel Gaddafi's Ideas
(Please note that this blog was written before the disturbances in Libya)
Various African statesmen and influential personalities from around the World have advocated the transformation of Africa into a single federation or at a minimum, a confederation, with a single currency, and one all-African army.
The most energetic of these statesmen has been Colonel Muammar al-Gaddafi.
Continued at WordPress
Some might argue that I support a united Africa since I am Nigerian, and since it is likely that Nigeria, being the most populous African country, will dominate. The truth about my reasons cannot be farther. In fact, Nigeria's tradeoffs in pursuit of a united Africa, will be enormous.
Back to Gaddafi. He has argued that an African unity government is the only way Africa can develop cohesively and consistently, and without interference by outside powers. However, many African leaders and technocrats have resisted the idea of a united Africa. They say it will encroach on their sovereignty. Some of these African leaders and elites say they cannot be expected to cede sovereignty to any African bloc just decades after they wrested it away from their colonial masters.
Other people have doubted the practicality of a unity African government. Incidentally, some of the biggest skeptics have not even given fair consideration to the idea. Rather, they have hastily dismissed it as an unrealistic dream.
Some others have said that the idea of Africa as a single nation is dead since it hasn't happened, after decades of speeches, discussions and arguments. They cite the difficulties and disappointments experienced within Arab nationalist movements, especially the collapse of the United Arab Republic (UAR) that President Gamal Abdel Nasser of Egypt formed with Syria, and which Iraq was said to have considered joining. The cynics also cite the demise of the United Arab States (UAS), a short-lived confederation of the United Arab Republic (UAR), and North Yemen.
A few other people (mainly non-Africans) have accused Colonel Gadaffi of being a power-hungry man who wants to rule the whole of Africa. But, this might be a very disingenuous supposition on the part of these critics. While, like other politicians, Gadaffi may want to hold on to power for as long as possible, he has not given any indication that he wants to rule the whole of Africa. In actual fact, there may be other Africans that may clamor for him to lead. And by the way, Colonel Gadaffi is not the only African that is seriously committed to pan-African movement. I have included a list of forty-six other major pan-Africanists in the later part of this article. They cannot be accused of being motivated by a quest for personal political power. The fact is that many pan-Africanists do not have personal political ambitions. Therefore, it would be wrong to accuse Colonel Gadaffi or other pan-Africanists as power-hungry barons.
I submit to everyone that the idea of a single African nation is very essential, very workable and that is not dead. If anything at all, Africa can learn from the mistakes of the UAR and UAS movements, and the disillusionment their failures caused pan-Arabists. This would be necessary so as to craft better strategies for the African cause. So, I submit that the idea of a united Africa will not die until it is realized.
One can only imagine the level of progress Africa would have made by now if the various nation states had united (even if they had just confederated) and pulled their resources together.
Despite all the the negativities, Colonel Gadaffi's ideas of this single African state have been supported by many Africans owing to his extraordinary reputation, tenacity and pragmatism in parts of the continent.
One of his supporters, Maliviwe Bata stated on July 29, 2010:
"On Africa in unity, this dream will one day soon be a reality. The skeptics will swallow their tongues."
Maliviwe Bata's belief in Brother Leader Colonel Gaddafi's ideas of a single African state is not isolated. In fact, there are calls for improved ties between the single Africa bloc and South American countries. Johan Pieterse, another supporter of Brother Leader Gaddafi, and who also supports closer African/South American cooperation, added on September 27, 2009;
"... I think it's innovative and a step towards self-empowerment. I'm tired of rich nations buying all the economic rights to natural resources of the poorer countries. I'm convinced that EU and US policies are designed to keep them (the US and EU) in a position of power and economic strength."
Hundreds of millions of Africans, including Africans in the diaspora, share Maliviwe's and Pieterse's beliefs in the pragmatism of Brother Leader Gaddafi's ideas. As a matter of fact, mathematical projections show that there could be 300 million - 500 million Africans who believe in Colonel Gaddafi's ideas and regard him as their hero. Indeed, his words and ideas are well treasured by a majority of Africans (and quite a sizable part of the international community including the United States, Canada, Europe, South America and Asia).
I urge African nations to seriously consider forming a unity government.
And, I'll say that a united Africa is critical and very realistic.
Great Potentials!
Africa is endowed with enormous natural resources. The region accounts for nearly 10% of the entire oil and gas reserves in the World. It also accounts for a sizable percentage of deposits of diamonds, gold, iron, cobalt, uranium, copper, bauxite, silver, petroleum, woods and tropical fruits.
Africa has lots of its natural resources undiscovered or barely tapped.
The geography of Africa comprises of vast waters and lands that abound with sea creatures, wild life and arable lands. Africa contains many of lakes and rivers, allowing for small fishing industry for the natives. The deep rivers of Africa have significant hydroelectric value. The Atlantic and Indian Oceans allow further enterprises such as large scale fishing mining and offshore oil drilling. Its coastlines are teeming with fish and other sea life.
Without imported pollution and dangerous greenhouse gases emanating from Western and Asian nations, African nations will have the most serene environments in the world. But, with more unity and greater power, Africa can resist such imported pollution.
Africa is the second largest continent. With a population of 1 billion people, only China and India have more population than Africa. As a single nation, it would be the third largest country.
But the diversity and richness in Africa has neither translated to commensurate prosperity nor strength. Africans are too fractured. They fail to realize that there is great strength in numbers, and continue a downward spiral as a result of disunity.
Africans are still beholden to their colonial masters who created arbitrary maps on them. And, Africa's neo-colonial masters are still mapping out how Africa should be divided and exploited.
To understand what the West might have in mind for Africa, one needs go no further than some recorded words about the thoughts of America and Britain about our Arab brothers and sisters.
Daniel Yergin's masterpiece called "The Prize: The Epic Quest for Oil, Money and Power", written in 1991 recalled the words of American President Franklin D. Roosevelt as he addressed a British Ambassador in 1944.
Here's what the American president told the Briton:
"Persian oil …is yours. We share the oil of Iraq and Kuwait. As for Saudi Arabian oil, it’s ours."
Obviously, there were no Arabs; no Persians, no Iraqis, no Kuwaitis and no Saudi Arabians in that meeting that decided who was going to own their oil. Logically, there would be no Africans in a meeting on the allocation of their land and resources among the world powers. Maybe after the decision has been made overseas, African leaders would be manipulated, intimidated or enticed into helping to implement the schemes. No doubt, a more united Africa will preclude such an insult on a great people and give them more say over how foreign nations can participate in tapping their resources.
A fragmented Africa plays into the hands of those seeking to dominate it perpetually.
Of course, divide-and-rule strategies have been classical strategies to maintain stronghold on a people. The colonial masters craftily employed divide-and-rule strategies and it worked very well for them. Conversely, they amalgamated tiny disparate entities to foment internal discord so they can maintain their central powers while the subjects -- Africans quarreled among themselves.
But it's a shame that Africans have not been able to extricate themselves from the dubious divide-and-rule legacy of the colonial masters. Consequently, African countries and some of their leaders have continued to undermine each other. By contrast, the European Union (EU), the United States of America (USA), the Organization of American States (OAS), the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) are all cooperating more closely to preserve their interests than the African Union (AU) (and the Arab League) are doing.
In Africa, the leaders and certain elements of the society are actually perpetuating divisiveness to preserve their narrow interests. This internal rancor has also been fueled by some Western powers that have installed or sustained tyrannic dictators in Africa, in order to emasculate the people and keep the oil, gold and diamonds flowing yonder.
The effect of Africa's decentralization is that, in spite of the formation of the African Union, African countries still cannot resolve such serious matters as backwardness, hunger, disease, religious and ethnic conflicts.
Africa - Maybe, It's Time to Seriously Consider Colonel Gaddafi's Ideas
(Please note that this blog was written before the disturbances in Libya)
Various African statesmen and influential personalities from around the World have advocated the transformation of Africa into a single federation or at a minimum, a confederation, with a single currency, and one all-African army.
The most energetic of these statesmen has been Colonel Muammar al-Gaddafi.
Continued at WordPress
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