Africa Rising: Debunking the imagery

It is time we analyzed or cracked open the narrative that is ‘Africa rising’. It has been very appealing at the surface - with African clothing, art and innovation penetrating the global scene, but is gravely condescending with the underlying exploitation of the continent’s resources by any Tom, Yong, Ojeifo, Zuma or Wolfgang who sees it fit to rip, rape and take from our people.

Above all else, this narrative has had a few pressing priorities to focus on. The first has been infrastructure, which has loosely translated to any European [failed and/dysfunctional systems"> or Chinese [Imports of throw away technology and prison workers to advance our paths"> or whoever else’s idea of development is - far from our own socio- economic and political transformation and the definition of it.

Then there is the one-sided narrative on terrorism – “the war on terror”, which beyond any reasonable doubt has been seen as only achievable by having autocratic controls, state repression, increased militarism and discrimination of economically marginalized people with immigration backgrounds who adhere to a particular religion. Not even with the proof of these same models not having worked out so well for their advisors and funders e.g. in Europe- ISIS, America- Al-shabaab etc., can you deter their minds. They are set.

And lastly agriculture. ‘Smart Agriculture.’ That spells out [even without use of info-graphs"> multi-national corporations’ control on food production with devastating lessons from India, Malawi and Monsato’s own backyard - that have shown both its retrogressive “progress” in sustaining food sovereignty and failure in offering climate change solutions.

However, this ‘Rising’ – universe help us- is inevitably coming, if not long here already. The vehement travelling by our African leaders and statements across the continent even globally is more around cementing structures that will sustain their survival and that of the narrative.

The newest interesting statement has been the appointment of Robert Mugabe as the chairman of AU post-2016. This symbol hasn’t been noted at multiple local contexts as a ‘negative’ or ‘positive’ thing necessarily, that is, if it is a thing at all. Nor has it raised alarms on how catastrophic its outcomes are - while the global community is wailing. The existence that is African at the local /communal level has been orchestrated, designed and maintained as damning and apocalyptic as possible since time immemorial. This one move shouldn’t come as a surprise, but as a product of this testament.

Whatever it is that the political and economic African elites do to annoy their imperialist masters, always comes as a trivial move - if not antics and tantrums to prove “something” or seek approval or better yet manipulation of bigger economic related issues at hand. It is rarely an attempt to protect the sovereignty of their people. It has its implications like being referred to as ‘a bad example’ or ‘a stream of never-ending threats on sanctions’ or ‘being rendered poor in public,’ or ‘access/denial of space at the grown-ups table’, e.g. the G8/G20 invites-only meetings. They remain another sub-existence of human beings who remain highly interested in “the globalized market” and how to ease the slave-wage system for maximum profits other than the ‘welfare’ or ‘freedoms’ of and at the very least African governed people.

Looking at this from a basic level the African leaders’ emancipation rants are more or less like the post-2000s ardent ranting of university students that visibly allows them to stop regular activities for a few hours/day utmost. They piss off their deans, society, the authorities and the State until they finally pretend to hear them. Then, the following year, the students go out again in demand of almost the same things as previously and the cycle continues. It’s a tedious thing to watch.

This new framing of Pan- African solidarity rhetoric to serve Africa’s economic and political elites’ interest is a mere succession of rule from the former colonial masters, collaborators and their offspring - a more painful ‘white supremacist’ legacy. It’s a long existing business, micro- managed by people with different shades of black. It’s an abuse of freedoms, being spoilt of choices or a demonstration of a nuptial relationship between the imperialist controls and our African so called leaders- or whatever tickles their fancy.

These leaders and their rhetoric remain irrelevant to the harsh socio- economic, political and cultural realities affecting we Africans’ day-to-day life.

An alternative, but almost similar existence to this ignoring of complex issues that come with Africa, are the Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs) and “development partners” who have acted complementary to our African Heads of State and their blunders. Daily, it has become easier for them to copy-paste happenings across the board to narratives that best suit their budgets as they address the symptoms of these issues, and not really the root cause. From their other privileged existence, they have developed a syndrome of assuming they hold a more, charitable humanistic answer to most of our social problems. Their priorities are very specific thematic areas of focus- to get us ‘there.’

‘Lack of sanitation’ has of course no relation to privatization of water or the redirection of it for industry use.

‘Lack of health care’ has no connection whatsoever to systems of control over resource and taxation money, deplorable working condition and ghettoization of a people.

‘Lack of education’ is by no means related to economic deprivation, let alone a globally corrupted understanding of knowledge based on white supremacy.

And of course, ‘Lack of housing’ must be isolated from commercialization of land, massive landgrabs in the name of development and resource mobilization by MNCs and governments. The list of successes is also endless, i.e. ‘poverty eradication’, more Africans are now living on 2$ a day!

Anyone with an insanely sane mind cannot loose sight of an ailing continent. Just like USA and Europe, we are looking to implode from the inside. We always have been, are becoming a continent related with being dark and criminal from our mere existence. Literally. A small example is the scope of Africa and its people at a Global context- both exotically and as a tool of trade.

With our need to live up to our reputation the aggression that is mounting at local contexts is beginning to call for more actions than an African court to deal with its gangsters at the State level. There is never ending proof that we are a very patient society- if not dead. We have overwhelming capacities to allow, watch, agree, take, accept, trust and pretend to not see these reprehensible changes that deny us of our self determination or at the very least our dignity as Africans at local, regional and continental levels. This beats anyone’s logic and remains an insult to the injury our continent has sustained for the last 500 years.

Africa has been rising a long time. In its reclaiming of its history- and existing within the harsh realities, Africans have had more consciousness, questioning, organizing, alternative progressive writing and they have constantly challenged the norms of suppressing their spirit, wisdom and dignity.

But these voices have long been oppressed and are being suppressed even more at this point. If we’d listen carefully to these voices, they seek reparation, healing and a narrative that is around self- determination and emancipation, not manipulation of realities. The Africa we deem as Rising, is far from doing it from a liberated point. And in this neo- liberal framing it will become a damning stagnation. Designed to be that way.

The dream of Africa Rising, as it should- is far from being realized. With the ailing of her people.

* Blessol Gathoni is a Queer social justice activist.

* THE VIEWS OF THE ABOVE ARTICLE ARE THOSE OF THE AUTHOR/S AND DO NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT THE VIEWS OF THE PAMBAZUKA NEWS EDITORIAL TEAM

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