Opinion | Lamin Darboe, Leicester, UK |
Black lives should matter everywhere including in Africa. When our leaders, politicians and technocrats since independence, failed to live up to expectation and perform like other nations with whom we had independence almost at the same time.
Those countries from meagre resources and almost unsurmountable challenges, lift there nations and people from the scourge of poverty and underdevelopment to a level that became marvel of the world.
To the extent they were called Tiger economies in reference to the innovativeness and dynamicism of their economies.
Why would anyone respect black lives when the Blacks don't respect their own lives. Respect is earned to claimed by acrong in ways that attract respect and marvel. Tue foundation start with having self-worth counpled with unwavering determination, progressive mindset and intractable inclination to establish a dispensation of justice and faireness.
Such a panacea is lacking where ever blacks are resident or form a nation state, on the other hand a common tangible malaise is recognisable feature of poverty, low quality education, corruption, human rights abuse, lack responsibility, poor management and many vices.
We easily accept defeat and always look up to other nations for support, validation and even couching as to what to do with ourselves.
When our men and women are not comfortable with their color, self-image, think everything other colors do is best, that even their hairs are not attractive so they have to buy an asian hair to look more attractive.
How can black live matter when since colonialism ended, we could not provide basic necessities of life, basic infrastructure, water supply and basic food stuff etc.
We could not establish good governance structures, competitive and patriotic civil service, where evey civil service or security agent is thinking of how he or she can improve his personal finance.
Where a custom officer or area council or port worker can afford to put up expensive building well beyond his or her income within a short period of time.
When our ministry permanent secretaries can approve licence to foreign companies to destroy our environment for a thousand dalasi inducement.
In a nation in which even the Lebanese control the mobile phone and wireless system infrastructure charging extortionate fees stifling business and communication. All these happening under the nose of regulatory institutions and they do nothing.
Our leaders hate proper democratic institutions where there are proper checks and balances against power excesses and financial misappropriation. Where leaders put their financial and political interest before the national interest and within a short period can build storey buildings many times more than legal income.
Where a leader can afford to give vehicles, money and properties to political sycophants while the hospitals, police forces lacked basic transport infrastructure and pregnant women had to be trandported on donkey carts. When a parliment stay as willing spectators as the president allegedly transfer donated buses gifted to the nation to his party.
How can black lives matter when our parliment is stuffed with half-baked legislators who on becoming an MP received pickup cars from the executive they were expected to scrutinies. Accepted plots of land which were stolen from poor villagers.
How can black life matter when citizens are more concern with emotional and blind support for their leaders instead of measuring their leaders credibility based on performance and results. A meaningful performance that provide tangible improvement to the well-being of the people and proper stewardship of meagre resouces.
When ministers and leaders drive in expensive cars yet the common people who vote them to power comfort themselves with bare or almost jaundice transport system.
Lets reflect on ourselves, what went wrong for the last 50 years of independence and change our modus operandi.
We cannot diliver an enviable change with the same old ways of doing things, it never worked for us and shall ever work.
Chines lives are now respected because their leaders uplift their country from a nation of low spirit to a nation of high spirit, living no one behind.
They converted their economy from an agrarian status status to the peak of technological innovation. To the extent they too have become new colonial masters of black lives. They study us, understand our mediocre way of thinking, our lack of self-respect and confidence in ourselves.
Our corrupt and corruptible persona, our selfishness and lack of empathy for our people. They came with a new neo-colonial paradigm that capture a variety of mechanics to induce our leaders and our people to accept control of their vital resouces.
Now some countriies force their people to learn Chinese language which is not bad perse . What is an irony is that we now have an african capital, with an exclusive chinese areas, chinese restaurants, Chinese police, Chinese newspapers when Chinese can never allow such a level of intrusion in their country.
Chinese people will rise up against their leadership if that ever happen but we cowed life an orphan.
They abuse our workers to the extent a Chinese manager shot a defenceless worker in Nigeria for a very insignificant infringement and nothing happened.
How can black live matter when we are ready to accept others to trample on our liberty. Look at your situation and realise respect is earned and charity begin at home.
Unless our leaders lead by example, not leaders who say do as I say but not as I do, they must demonstrate honesty, integrity and sincerity.
In the same vein, how can blacks live matter when common folks take joy at the downfall of each other or refuse acknowledge our distinctive abilities.
Editors Note:
Views expressed herein are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of Gunjur Online. Got an opinion article? send it to us at GunjurNewsOnline@gmail.com