Ejike Okpa II

From OAU to AU and Maybe USA

Posted July 13, 2007 · Ejike Okpa II

If the saying that a Leopard does not change spots overnight and no matter the cloning, a monkey does not become a dog, what is the likelihood that Africa dubbed the continent that gave birth to and is the origin of mankind, a continent endowed with resources human and material, on international relations and in diplomatic parlance, its member nation (Morocco), was the first to recognize US as a country and US responded gratefully and graciously by building its first embassy ever in Tangier, is still seen and regarded as a dark continent?

As I peruse the book, ‘Africa’s Gift to America’ by JA Rogers, I come off wondering why did a continent that gave and still give the world what it wants, is looked down at? Hardly anything is seen as good coming from the continent, and when they do, it is cursory. As an African and one that believe Africa needs a dose of new beginnings and happenings, positively of course, to be taken seriously, I am always on the watch out for ideas proffered by the leadership to launch Africa or relaunch Africa. From Organization of African Unity to African Union and now United States of Africa, if and when it happens, will Africa emerge? That the continent contains some of the world’s sought after natural resources and has some of the best tranquil climates, yet it is one mired and twisted with ineffective leadership, unable it seems, to help promote its people and place. Because of the leadership, Africa is described in the worse adjectives and its people seen as the doormat for all the other races.

Of the 10,000 or so mega-corporations that decide and influence the world’s economic order which unsurprisingly, get their raw materials for operation from Africa, none is headquartered in Africa nor has an African ever headed a major mega-corporation. On the marquee of most of the world’s mega-stock exchanges, records are vague as to corporations owned by Africans; meaning African owned companies are not listed. Although Ashanti Goldfields debut on New York Stock Exchange in the 90s, its existence was short-lived and was soon delisted for lackluster performance. That Boutros Boutros Ghali of Egypt and Kofi Annan of Ghana, have headed UN and Rilwanu Lukman of Nigeria headed OPEC, such world stage presence has not translated to improved image of and for Africa, makes one wonder, what else do Africans need to do in order to start counting?

Does it matter that Africa is endowed with resources? Yet, it is not able to do something with the resources to improve the condition of the people and their place? If Timbuktu is considered to have had a university that predated Oxford and Harvard [two of the world’s foremost and oldest formal institutions], how come education in Africa is still at its lowest and despicable condition? While the continent may not boast of a repute university, its sons and daughters have graduated from reputable institutions and yet, the education gained has not led to transforming condition for the continent. Does it mean that equal opportunity in education does not mean equal outcome? If it is the same ‘one-plus-one’ others learned they use to improve their lots, how come when an African learned the same thing, it does not lead to similar outcome? Having something and doing nothing does not transform life and definitely no wealth. What transforms life is doing something with the unearned resources that nature has given the continent. Unearned in the sense that Africa did nothing for the resources to subsist in their land.

It is just not good enough to have something. One must endeavor to go another step and do something with it in order to improve the living standards. Africa may have all that the world wants but its people are scattered all over the world aching meager living because the leadership in Africa failed them then and now.

If mathematically, the sum of the parts have to be strong to make the whole stronger and better, will Africa becoming a United States of Africa really make a difference? Will mere change of name from one thing to the other really transform an organism without the core changes that really transform? With many African nations largely dependent on foreign assistance in the form of aid, will coming together strengthen the weakened condition?

With the present crop of leaders some driven by pure greed, desire to remain in office for life, siphoning resources from their native country to accounts untraceable in western world, should these people be proposing United States of Africa? Shouldn’t the strive and drive be to strengthen the condition of each country before seeking alignment with the region or the entire continent? The idea sounds good but it’s far fetched. Until African countries are really seen as successful and success does not have to be measured using the template of the western world but by the citizens of the affected country who feel that they are getting the best from their leadership, any move for a United States of Africa, is a pure waste and a detraction from what needs to be happening now.

While the idea of United States of Africa makes sense and sounds good, I am hesitant to jump up as if this is an elixir or Eureka. The 53 or so oddly stitched and lumped African nations have yet to individually offer their people a place where they can live and enjoy life to its fullest. Some of the world’s longest and oddly serving presidents are in Africa. Africa leadership still see their role as paternalistic and doing anything good for the people is if they want as opposed to they must and have to. Before United States of Africa should even become an agenda, African leaders must first commit to do something to improve the condition of their various countries. The natural resources should not be offered on a platter nor should sections within each country conspire with outside forces to exploit the resources without due compensation.

African leaders must decry and denounce all forms of foreign accounts except accounts maintained as trading and investment resource for the country’s benefit. War and conflicts must be discouraged and rule of law entrenched and engraved as the way to upheld human and civil rights. Trading within and among African nations must be seen as the first step, and among member nations, they must encourage the principle and notion of ‘First Right of Refusal’ on any trade and development opportunity before seeking outside help and involvement. Economic and trade development is not based on what one deserves but rather on what one is able to negotiate. As is evidenced by transactions done by African countries, they are known to negotiate bad deals for their country. And when suitable and appropriate, and if it serves their interest better, African nations should instead elect to barter their natural resources for its dollar equivalent in order to attract certain technologies or development. Since most African countries have weak currencies orchestrated by poor fiscal and monetary policies, they are not able to negotiate strong trading deals. As a result, their natural resources subject to commodity fluctuations somehow occasioned by manipulation of western institutions, end up not earning them enough money to bargain from a position of strength.

Until the sum of the parts are strong, the resulting whole will not be strong. The world is impatiently waiting and wanting Africa to re-claim its due place in the comity of nations. Whether this is a lip service or not, in the twenty first century, no one who gets to a traffic light when the signal is ‘green’, waits and asks other drivers if it is okay to proceed. There is definitely some merit in mulling the idea of a United States of Africa, but certain conditions must pre-exist in order to see the idea metamorphose to something probable and not just possible. Simply on the merits of regional economic cooperation with the attendant larger economy of scale, makes the idea palatable. However, as the world’s cheap bride that everyone steps forward to propose to and often take home, Africa must learn that being selective and playing a little hard to get, heightens the value and makes the outcome more desirable. The time has always been there to do the right thing. However, if the call for a US-of-Africa [not Pan-Africanism], will ignite a different passion for positive collective existence that will bring back what history dubs Africa as, then all hands must be on deck to see its fruition.

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