Akogun Akomolafe
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16 December 2018 at 07 : 41 AM
On African Dictators
I believe that wasting time and efforts denouncing dictators like Abacha, Mobutu, or Arap Moi in Europe is crediting them with more intelligence than they actually possess – not that they shouldn’t be-be made to realize their follies. But, IMO, so doing is suggesting that they are independent actors, rather than the puppets on the string of the neo-colonial world order that they really are. Why waste time on the puppet, when one can talk to the puppet-master? Idi Amin was helped to power by British Intelligence. Bokassa was a puppet of the French for whom he had fought in Africa, Europe, Indochina, and Algeria. Mobutu was brought into power to thwart Lumumba and safeguard the neo-colonial interests of the US, France, and Belgium. Kotoka was helped by the CIA to overthrow Nkrumah. Nigeria has been misgoverned by Military dictators, all-trained at Military academies in Britain and the US. They all have pursued neo-colonial interests to the detriment of their country. Their misgovernment and corruption are well-known, yet, they all, without exception enjoyed a cozy relationship with Britain and the US. We cannot analyse the problems of Africa, especially the failure of leadership, without looking into this neo-colonial relationship.
The chief curse of Africa was to adopt the western model when our nations achieved independence from their colonial masters. This was our lost opportunity – to chart our future properly, taken into consideration our socio-political history and our peculiarity. This was the biggest difference between us and the Asians. The Asians nations that charted an original path for themselves – Malaysia, Indonesia, and China are making progress, while those who, like us, want to remain under the tutelage of the ‘masters” are wallowing in an economic quagmire – take the Philippines for instance.
I have consistently advocated that Africans should strive to promote an Africa that can look towards the best in itself to develop her resources. An Africa that’s neither apologetic nor groveling. An Africa that is proud and upright. I believe that African intellectuals, writers and artists should let Africa become the center of their universe.
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12 December 2018 at 07 : 20 AM
Racism in the Dutch Media
Thanks to cable television, we now know that both the French and the English televisions are giving regular attention to their erstwhile colonies. Even Belgian television is light years ahead of their Dutch counterparts when it comes to racial sensibilities. Black people are performing on British television regularly; and there is a black group or personality on French TV, at least once a day. Let’s contrast this with Holland. About the only time, black people are mentioned in the Dutch media is when it is in connection with crime or drug. I said to the cross-eyed idiot, “I was just wondering why you guys are so fixated on negative reporting about Nigeria, nay, Africa. How about some positive things about the country, also?”
Like what? Ms. Brahmans wanted to know.
Pathetic!
Where does one begin to educate this dim-witted moron?
Nigeria emerged from the traumas of military dictatorship in May of this year. That is not newsworthy for the Dutch media. Ms. Brahmas and her bigoted crew are not interested.
Nigeria has just commissioned a Gas-Liquefaction project, reputed to be the largest industrial plant in Continental Africa. The myopic Dutch media saw nothing newsworthy about it. Never mind that the project has heavy Dutch input. Ms. Brahmans was probably on holiday.
Nigeria will celebrate her 39th Independence Anniversary in a few days time – October 1st, to be precise. Naturally, the glaucomaed Dutch media will never see such an event. Ms. Brahmans will surely be hibernating.
There are hundreds of Nigerians honestly toiling in this country. The blinkered lenses of Ms. Brahmans and co. will never see us.
The KLM has about five flights to Nigeria every week, God forbid that Ms. Brahmans, restricted by her racism, to see anything in that.
Royal Dutch Shell is a big, VERY BIG, investor in Nigeria. They have got big offices at The Hague. Blinded by racial prejudices, Ms. Brahmans will never discover such SECRETS.
Where, indeed, does one begin to educate these racial champions masquerading as professional journalists?
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6 December 2018 at 07 : 16 AM
Racism in Holland
If, as we were asked to believe, most Dutch are non-racist, and also that The Netherlands is a democratic country with a government empowered by the will of a majority. If this government goes about passing racist laws and treat the minority in this country with contempt, what conclusion can we draw except that this country is either not democratic, and does not represent the will of the majority of Dutch; or that the government is democratic, represented the will of the majority, in which case the racist policies of the government is sanctioned and supported by the majority of the Dutch people? What conclusion could we draw, except that the Dutch are overwhelmingly racists, and that they support the racist policies of their political leader?
As far as I know, no white person in this country has rejected the privileges of his being white conferred on him. None has climbed down from the pedestal his whiteness put him. There is no record of any Dutch person having gone to court to protest the police brutalities against black people in Holland. The Dutch government’s racist policies have never been challenged in any court in Holland.
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25 November 2018 at 16 : 30 PM
Ghana: the descent of the imperialists
A polemical satire by Femi Akomolafe Hello, Femi, it has been a long while! Greetings. Please, with whom am I speaking? Hahaha… So, you don’t recognize my voice again… You paaaaaa…! I will not be asking you if I do. Your name, please? You will never change, Femi. You remain as contrarian as ever. […]
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1 November 2018 at 08 : 04 AM
A Letter to the African Patriot
A Letter to the African Patriot By Femi Akomolafe <femi@xs4all.nl>, 1994 [Note: Written in 1994 when the Internet was in its infancy, this is one of my earliest posts] I do not intend to start a war (flame or smoke) here. This letter is addressed to the African Patriot. Europeans and other foreigners are welcome […]
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17 October 2018 at 08 : 53 AM
Ghana: Much Ado about A Cathedral
There is no question that President Nana Dankwa Akufo-Addo, a scion of one of Ghana’s most illustrious families, and son of a former president, is among the most qualified to ever to occupy the presidency of Ghana. The 72-year president, a very astute and experienced politician, told Ghanaians that he has extensively studied their problems […]
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5 October 2018 at 08 : 39 AM
Ghana: In Search of Controversy
The Ghanaian president, Nana Dankwa Akufo-Addo, is, undoubtedly, one of the most resilient politicians in the land. There is also no question that he was among the most qualified to ever sought the high office. The determination of this scion of one of Ghana’s most illustrious families, son of a former president, was also never […]
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26 September 2018 at 03 : 06 AM
Black Man’s Dilemma
BLACK MAN’S DILEMMA (This is one of my first articles on returning to Africa, after my studies/sojourn in Europe). I did not publish it until now, because I thought it was too severe, even by my own standards. I did not edit it to bring it up to date because the message remains essentially true!) […]
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31 August 2018 at 14 : 31 PM
Kenkey Consultant
(a satire) Femi Akomolafe I was debugging a heavy-duty program when Kossi Gbade came in. I haven’t seen him in a very long time and his abject appearance distressed me. A time there was when Kossi and I see quite a lot of one another – it seems like ages ago now. How could life […]
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29 June 2018 at 07 : 16 AM
Rent a Londoner
(a satire) My keeping Sunday as a Sabbath has no religious significance whatsoever. It’s just that human biology dictates that the body must be rested once in a while. As the Nigerians are wont to put it: ‘Body no be stone.’ It was like your average June morning in Kasoa – the heavens had […]
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