Dear Malick,
Thanks for your piece as it contains some very interesting insights.
I read your argumentation with keen interest although I am busy with the
breakdown of our printing machine.
I am myself an admirer of Nkrumah and I spent hours in the museum that Ghana
devotes to him.
As you would recall Rawlings, at one time, tried to lay hands on his legacy
but as we all know the attempt fell short of improving the lot of Ghanaians
as it was confined to celebrating his anti-colonial stance. In terms of
economic advancement, Ghana is still despite its riches grappling with
serious economic imbalances.
Mathieu Kerekou of Benin also tried to assimilate Sekou Toure's legacy but
was later chased out of power by a popular uprising despite the fact that he
was a military dictator.
At this juncture I would like to make some comparison between India and
Pakistan and the African countries once headed by those "honorary
Europeans". We all know that Indians and Pakistanis excelled in the world's
highest institutions of learning.
Many of them secured the same status as the "honorary Europeans".
Now, what is different in the socio-ecoonomic and political itinerary of
India and Pakistan on the one hand and countries like Kenya, Cote d'Ivoire,
Senegal on the other hand?
Are they not sharing albeit some disparity the same itinerary?
One has to take into account that the disparity I alluded to stems from the
large markets in India and Pakistan. But it could be argued that had they
the same size and population there would not have been much difference in
many respects between them today.
WE are talking about some 300 years of colonisation whose end was brought
about by the realisation by Africans and some enlightened Europeans and
Americans that in as much as it was inconceivable for Europeans and
Americans to accept Nazi Germany's domination, Africans were entitled to
their self-determination.
That process took some 20 years as the wind of Independence came about in
the 60s.
Now, you seem to lay emphasis on the "divorce option" with former colonial
countries-consumers of our raw materials. A Federal Africa was not feasible
then to accommodate such an option as the new states were grappling with a
new reality: building a nation, selling the idea of national unity (taking
into account tribal and regional realities) and laying the foundation of a
state by putting in place local and national structures.
A Federal Africa would have been ideal to form a bloc to fight neo-colonial
tendencies such as what Senghor himself called la "détérioration des termes
de l'échange"(the deterioration of the terms of trade between Africa and her
former colonial masters.)
Senghor made reference to this anomaly all along his tenure.
With regard to the above my question is, was Nkrumah ahead of his time?
This is of course another dimension altogether but it needs to be analyse by
more enlightened people than my humble self.
Thank you for time
Deyda
>From: malik kah <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
><[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: Is Senghor a true son of Africa or not?
>Date: Wed, 26 Dec 2001 11:42:46 +0000
>
>>From: malik kah <[log in to unmask]>
>>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
>><[log in to unmask]>
>>To: [log in to unmask]
>>Subject: Re: Is Senghor a true son of Africa or not?
>>Date: Wed, 26 Dec 2001 10:40:02 +0000
>>
>>Hi, Deyda, thanks for your contribution to this ongoing debate about Seng.
>>Am sure you are aware that we are dealing with a very critical and
>>turbulent
>> historical epoch, the consequence of which is the formation of our
>>current geo-political set up, as well as our socio-economic policies.
>>
>>At a time when the world was very polarised and the masses of the people
>>were demanding the end to colonial rule, the role and guidance of the
>>political leadership could not have been more wanting than any other time.
>>The level of literacy was significantly low and those Africans that were
>>exposed to higher education were by defination and design intended to
>>become
>>honorary Europeans, who would assimilate all the values, norms and
>>cultural
>>outlook of the masters. Many had gone through this process of
>>assimilation,
>>aspiring that they would become Europeans by all intent and purposes but
>>to
>>their dismay, after accomplishing in the Universities, they were
>>confronted
>>by a hitherto unknown obstacle called racial rejection. Eventhough they
>>emerged to be lawyers, doctors, university professors, to their
>>frustration
>>they discoverd that they were still treated inferior, simply because of
>>the
>>colour of their skin, all their achievements became meaningless.They
>>discovered the bitter truth that there was no meritocracy in this archaic
>>order but racial prejudice.
>>
>>Notwithstanding the injustices inherent in racism, many of the early
>>African leaders failed to grasp the reality that this was not essentially
>>the route course of the socital contradictions in Africa, as history
>>would
>>testify to that. Many petty-burgoise intellectuals in Africa tended to
>>waste their time and ours in trying to analyse social situations from a
>>racial point of view.
>>
>>But then this was the approach many of the pioneers took, hence they
>>became
>>charalatants who became heroes. At the time all you had to do was
>>vehemently
>>denounce white supremacy and you would be hailed as liberator, but the
>>conlonial masters were not fools they could identify the rhetoric from the
>>reality. Of course at the time many colonialist have reconciledto the fact
>>that blatant racial supremacy as a political doctrine cannot be any longer
>>teneble, hence many would patronised the new radicals language as long as
>>it
>>did not pose a threat to their capitalist ventures. And this precisely was
>>were the political configuration was drawn. Those Africans that stood for
>>independence and only denounced racism were condoned, but those that added
>>CLASS STRUGGLE, must treated as worst enemies and therefore be blocked
>>from
>>assuming political power.
>>
>>In Africa, the struggle against national domination and racial oppression
>>have been fused into one by the very nature of white colonial and cultural
>>domination. Very often the one is mistaken for the other, to the extent
>>that
>>in many cases, we get lost in the quagmire of the essence and substance of
>>indepence. Seng. could have been shouting with his fist high up condenming
>>the whites but that is irrelivant as to what he stood for. Clearly Seng'S
>>policies viz Nkrumah are diametrically opposite. one was constructively
>>engaged with the Europeans whiles the other was challenging the staus quo
>>as it represented Colonial intrest. In fact the language they used speak
>>volumes as to their stance. In as much as I do not want to reduce this to
>>be a comparism between Sen. v Nkrumah, I wish to draw some fundamental
>>distinctions that would help highlight their posture with regards to
>>Africa. At a time when the colonialist were killing many sons and
>>daugthers
>>of Africa, it would be of great concern to be described as true friend and
>>partner, for we all know that the nothing stood in the way of the intrest
>>of the colonial masters. Anything that serve as an obstacles to their
>>intrest would be obliterated hence many people died. I hope we will
>>remember those that fought and died and never became heads of states but
>>were true sons and daugthers of our continent. Being Pmpedous friend would
>>have squarely make one a potential collaborator to many of the henious
>>acts
>>perpetrated.
>>
>>
>>
>>>From: Deyda Hydara <[log in to unmask]>
>>>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
>>><[log in to unmask]>
>>>To: [log in to unmask]
>>>Subject: Re: Is Senghor a true son of Africa or not?
>>>Date: Tue, 25 Dec 2001 14:49:33 +0000
>>>
>>>From Deyda Hydara
>>>To Malick Kah
>>>
>>>Dear Malick,
>>>
>>>I do not subscribe to your claim that Seignior was opposed to Senegal's
>>>independence as oppose to the aspirations of the people at the time.
>>>Where
>>>does democracy stands in the face of such an accusation? Don't forget
>>>that
>>>Senghor's party had the majority given to it by the people of Senegal. He
>>>defeated Lamin Gueye's SFIO as well as his former friends of the PAI,
>>>thus
>>>securing a mandate to run the affairs of the colony.
>>>It is also on record that Senghor used his connection with former
>>>classmate
>>>George Pompidou to get De Gaulle to accept to facilitate the independence
>>>of
>>>not only Senegal but the whole former French West Africa as he was known
>>>to
>>>have battle against the "Balkanisation" of former French West Africa.
>>>He criss- crossed the region spearheading talks to get his colleagues to
>>>accept a federation in lieu of balkanisation but most of them feared a
>>>Senegalese hegemony and withdrew gradually from the scheme leaving Sudan,
>>>Benin and former Upper Volta. As we know only Sudan remained paving the
>>>way
>>>for the Mali Federation for which he gracefully gave the hot seat to late
>>>Modibo Keita who later mingled in the internal affairs of the PS leading
>>>to
>>>his Exit.
>>>I would like to say some few words about his relations with France, but
>>>before that let me quote him: " I wear European clothing, and the
>>>Americans
>>>dance to Jazz which derives from our African Rhythms: civilisation in the
>>>29th century is universal. No PEOPLE can get along without OTHERS."
>>>(Emphasis mine)
>>>The above depicts Senghor's obsession for Black people to be "Recognised"
>>>and given the due regard they deserve. The concept of Negritude stems
>>>from
>>>this obsession. When Senghor and Cesaire came to France, Africans were
>>>considered as "second class citizens of the world", something that pained
>>>them so much that they vowed to change such a negative and inhumane
>>>posture.
>>>They were faced with classmates parading a "superiority complex"
>>>demarche.
>>>Therefore they decided to prove them by "beating" them in all subjects
>>>until
>>>they gave them their due recognition as equals. This led to their
>>>excellent
>>>performances as students bagging degrees while their white colleagues
>>>were
>>>"recalles" repeating exams.
>>>Following their studies, they also addressed a bleak picture of the black
>>>race being peddled in France through a derogatory advert depicting a
>>>laughing black man amazed by the wonders of the world. Senghor in
>>>particular
>>>swore to tear the "banana laughter from all the walls of France.
>>>He beat the racists in their game by excelling in his studies, securing
>>>the
>>>respects of his German jailers.
>>>On the charge that he was a French henchman. Malick you got it wrong, the
>>>Senegalese TV is airing interviews he gave to French journalists during
>>>his
>>>tenure. Everyone heard him completely disagreeing with some of France's
>>>African policies as well as of some of their global options. France
>>>campaigned against the holding of the Olympics in USSR but he disagreed
>>>with
>>>that as well as the Russian intervention in Afghanistan. The above
>>>depicts
>>>Senghor's pragmatism. When the Sekou Toures and others were subjecting
>>>their
>>>people to dictatorial rule, he not only delivered but also opened his
>>>country to democracy and a free press.
>>>He established the first African schools for rural cadres, the first for
>>>agricultural technicians as well as the first school of administrators.
>>>I must however concede that as a human being he made mistakes but
>>>overall,
>>>he left a successful country with hundreds of thousands of cadres and
>>>structures not readily available to countries without gold, diamond,
>>>cocoa
>>>and oil. With their peanut, he contributed to what Senegal is today. Wade
>>>confessed in an interview some days ago, that he was an admirer of
>>>Senghor
>>>although he opposed him for 27 years. Do not forget that most of Africa's
>>>liberation movements such as the ANC had offices in Dakar with Senghor's
>>>blessings.
>>>Hope we have now agreed?
>>>Happy New Year to all
>>>Deyda
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>>From: malik kah <[log in to unmask]>
>>>>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
>>>><[log in to unmask]>
>>>>To: [log in to unmask]
>>>>Subject: Re: Is Senghor a true son of Africa or not?
>>>>Date: Sun, 23 Dec 2001 20:27:38 +0000
>>>>
>>>>As we ponder about the demise of Leopold Senghore, it is right that we
>>>>subject him to a discour for Zeng belong to a breed of politicians that
>>>>will
>>>>always intrests us Africans. After all these were the protagonists that
>>>>fashioned the foreign as well as the socio-economic policies whose
>>>>effect
>>>>we
>>>>still live with, hence what they stood for and what things they said is
>>>>as
>>>>much relivant now as it was then.
>>>>
>>>>It is apparent that Senghore was opposed to Senegals indepence as oppose
>>>>to
>>>>the aspirations of the people at the time. He was one of those success
>>>>samples of the french policy of assimilados, he was what was termed then
>>>>as
>>>>coconut, black from the outside but white in the inside. His whole
>>>>comportment was white hence he earned the admiration and support of the
>>>>French establishment.
>>>>
>>>>This was Senghores oulook and at this point in time the wind of change
>>>>was
>>>>fast blowing in Africa, the people were demanding the right to self rule
>>>>and
>>>>a genuine independce, hence it was very important for the colonial
>>>>masters
>>>>to have loyal servants to whom they can entrust their administration
>>>>without
>>>>hinderance, where they failed to cultivate such proteges they engaged in
>>>>bloody battles to subjugate the people into submission. A lot of people
>>>>confronted the colonial masters, hence they preffered to die as matyrs
>>>>and
>>>>patriots than be subjugated. A lot of genuine Sons and Daugthers were
>>>>executed, those obstinate ones that survived and led their people to
>>>>Independence were sanctioned and turned into pariah states. Infact many
>>>>of
>>>>them through dirty plots hatched by the colonialists were either
>>>>murdered
>>>>or overthrown. It was in such a climate that Senghore was the darling
>>>>of
>>>>the colonial masters hence he was a suspect collaborator and this was
>>>>important because the colonial masters needed alliances to continue
>>>>their
>>>>presence so as to justify their involvement in the internal affairs of
>>>>our
>>>>countries, with the likes of Senghore they were using Senegal as a
>>>>launching pad.
>>>>
>>>>This is why Senghore's acts needs to be put in a historical context,
>>>>yes
>>>>he
>>>>was highly educated, well respected academic but that does not exonerate
>>>>his
>>>>policies for it was people like him that has mortgaged the future the
>>>>consequence of which we now live with .
>>>>
>>>>The arrangements and self intrests that manifested at this embryonic
>>>>stage
>>>>of nation building has left us poorer and weaker and being one of those
>>>>principal architects he must be remembered differently by the radical
>>>>African, the ones that had called for a programme of independence and
>>>>not
>>>>dependence. The road championed by Gamal Abdel Nasser, Nkurumah, Saikou
>>>>Touray, Modibo Keita as well as Patrick Lumumba is well documented it
>>>>testifies to the intrests that were being defended by their
>>>>contemporaries.
>>>>In fact the blue print of their calling is what EUROPE is now
>>>>implementing
>>>>in full, from monetary union to military as well as trade and economics.
>>>>These people were ahead of their time at a time when Senghore was being
>>>>celebrated as a poet laureate these people were carving and strategising
>>>>the
>>>>future of the continent. No wonder they were feared by the colonial
>>>>masters,
>>>>the respect they commanded was evident, wherever, they appeared in
>>>>Europe
>>>>the media would follow every utterance they made. These people can never
>>>>be
>>>>forgotten, after all Senghore before he passed out was nearly forgotten.
>>>>History has absolved Nkrumah, so whatever critics may say, on balance he
>>>>contributed more to the African conciousness than any of us or Senghore
>>>>may
>>>>ever do. Their roles were different one was loved by the African people,
>>>>the
>>>>other by the Europeans, take you position and define yourself.
>>>>
>>>>He went for dependency and got all the support and now all that support
>>>>turned out to be the debt that is slowly strangling. With such an
>>>>approach
>>>>Senghore must be ranked amongst those that failed us.
>>>>
>>>>>From: Jungle Sunrise <[log in to unmask]>
>>>>>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
>>>>><[log in to unmask]>
>>>>>To: [log in to unmask]
>>>>>Subject: Re: Is Senghor a true son of Africa or not?
>>>>>Date: Sat, 22 Dec 2001 15:49:05 +0000
>>>>>
>>>>>You see, you do use your head sometimes. It sometimes seems that we are
>>>>>programmed in such a way that any view that is unconventional is to be
>>>>>dismissed as lacking merit or irrelevant. For example, people would
>>>>>rather
>>>>>remember Kwami Nkrumah for his speeches and vision rather than the way
>>>>>he
>>>>>tried to implement that vision. Nobody, in his right mind, would deny
>>>>>the
>>>>>fact that Dr. Kwami Nkrumah was both an intellectual and a visionary.
>>>>>But
>>>>>try to talk about his short-comings and you are labelled
>>>>>"Anti-Nkrumah".
>>>>>The
>>>>>fact remains that Dr. Kwami Nkrumah was one of the first dictators that
>>>>>Post
>>>>>colonial Africa
>>>>>produced. It is also a fact that one of the most repressive
>>>>>legislations
>>>>>ever passed in any country in Africa was the Preventative Detension Act
>>>>>(PDA). This piece of thrash was used by Nkrumah and those close to him
>>>>>or
>>>>>in
>>>>>uniform to jail inocent people for indefinite periods just because they
>>>>>dared ask where the country was heading. Instead of explaining his
>>>>>vision
>>>>>of
>>>>>Ghana to those who were better placed/equiped to implement them, he
>>>>>treated
>>>>>them as insurbodinate anarchists. This is were President Jammeh differs
>>>>>from
>>>>>the rest of those Pan-Africanists. You people may not believe it now,
>>>>>but
>>>>>time will tell.
>>>>>
>>>>>Have a good day, Gassa.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>_________________________________________________________________
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>>>>
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