NEOCOLONIALISM

— P-Seven 

    

No gainsaying that Africa is still under the rules of her colonial masters. Many African countries claimed to be an independent nation since the power of ruling themselves had been given to them by their slavery masters. However, if only these nations knew that colonisation had never parted their ways, but lived amongst them in another dimension. African countries celebrated fifty years and sixty years and above of being independent, nevertheless, even the black people continent knows pretty well that it has never gained the desired freedom. When are we going to wake up? 

    Colonial masters left Africa even though their grime when they first scuffed their heel on African continent has never left and since Africans have never learnt, they introduced modern slavery to us and we willingly surrender without being tortured as they did to our fore fathers. Africa claims to be independent, but drastically dependent on her masters again as if the independence was wrongly given to her or it wasn't time to be free to start with. Africa should return the independent agreement if she can't stand on her own. 

    When I was very young, I could recall that it was written boldly in ordinary plastic spoons that they were made in China and my school shoes were made in Italy. It was then, with my little faculty, that I started asking myself some sort of questions like why couldn't all these petty items be made in Nigeria? Now that I have grown up, I've known the answer to my ancient question that Nigeria was yet to be free from neocolonialism. 

    Africa as a whole, with the surplus human and natural resources, still depend on the external services of the west and US. They help us do almost everything including infrastructure. Kenya is currently building the world's new most expensive road, 27km Jomo Kenyatta International Airport-Westlands Highway ($583.821 million). China Road and Bridge Corporation is estimated to make a $1.020 billion profit. (Source: The Star KE https://t.co/pG6UbOL4Nv). Imagine the estimated profit a foreign company is going to realise in Africa for working in the African soil of which Africans too can do better. Sandra Halperin, Professor of International Relations, was quite right by defining neocolonialism as the control of less-developed countries by developed countries through indirect means.

    Furthermore, in an article shared by Dinesh on social media platforms, it was stated that American and other western powers created their economic dependencies and the (erstwhile) Soviet Union created its satellites as a means for operationalizing neo-colonialism in international relations. All these factors were responsible for the transformation of Colonialism into Neocolonialism. However, in the front page of The Cable that reads; Adesina presents another chance to kick against neo-colonialism, a statement is worth taking note of and I quote: “However, it is worth stating that Africa is not rich. Potential and kinetic energy are not the same because Ireland and Nigeria have a similar GDP figure. But with a population of fewer than 5 million the former is doling out €3 billion in COVID-19 relief package while our government is seeking a loan of €2billion to fund the 2020 budget. Isn’t it evident that resources aren’t worth much if the one lacks the cognitive fecundity to harness them? Mind you, we do not possess a monopoly of resources and if the brain is the best resource then it is fair to say that we are nowhere near Asia, let alone the western world in that department”. 

    Recently, a petition was submitted to the Speaker of the Parliament of Uganda calling for the removal of symbols, street names, colonial relics, and the renaming of streets in Kampala and other landmarks of Uganda. Morocco has also unveiled up to 200 Moroccan made busses that will be used for public transportation. This means nothing but the fact that Africa can do better if we believe in ourselves and if our leaders could let go of their greediness, selfishness, and ego. 

    Finally, Africa needs mental, political and economic liberation and whichever way we choose to do this does not matter much. What is more important is that we start somewhere and somehow.