By Ajong Mbapndah L
In a year characterized by seismic changes in the African political landscape with a generational shift in leadership across a growing number of countries, foremost Pan Africanist PLO Lumumba is urging Africans to remain vigilant.
Fielding questions from PAV on the year in Africa, Prof PLO describes the emergence of younger Presidents across the continent as a positive development but cautions that age is not a magic wand in solving the myriad of challenges facing the continent.
“It is my hope that the younger leaders will serve their countries diligently and remain faithful to what is in the best interest of their countries and the Continent of Africa,” says Prof Lumumba as he calls on Africans to keep leaders on a short leash.
On the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Prof Lumumba expressed disappointment with the process which is moving at snail speed with too much lip service by those tasked to mid-wife the process.
“Africa’s continued dysfunctionality is to the benefit of others, and it is time Africa wakes up otherwise she will continue to be dominated by others,” says PLO Lumumba as he shares his take on key issues and developments across Africa in 2024.
Through elections Senegal now has President Bassirou Diomaye Faye who is 44, Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko is 50, Assembly Speaker El Hadj Malick Ndiaye is 41. In Chad, President Mahamat Deby is 40. In Botswana, President Duma Gideon Boko is 54, Vice President Ndaba Gaolathe is 52, what meaning should be read in this generational shift?
The election of younger people as heads of state and government in a number of African countries is a positive development. Holding all factors constant, it heralds a generational shift from leaders who have refused to leave the stage. It is my hope that the younger leaders will serve their countries diligently and remain faithful to what is in the best interest of their countries and the Continent of Africa.
We must remember that age in and of is not a magic wand. Africa and indeed other countries outside of Africa have had leaders who because of greed and megalomania messed up their countries, their age notwithstanding. Fortunately, the trend we have seen in the Sahelian countries and in Senegal and Gabon suggest that the right path has been taken. It now behoves the population to be vigilant and to keep the leadership on a short leash.
2024 saw the birth of the Confederation of Sahel States with Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger as members, what does this say about the continent and are you surprised with the warmth from many Africans towards military rule ?
The coup d’états which took place in African countries of Mali, Burkina Faso, Gabon, Guinea and Niger must be understood in context; although, from the standpoint of the African Union they are considered unconstitutional changes of government contrary to the Malabo Protocol of 2014, leading to their effective expulsion from the activities of the Union.
In my view, the changes herald a revolt against French Neo-colonialism and the removal of the comprador leadership who were subservient to French diktats contrary to the interests of their citizens.
The emerging confederation of Sahel states is reminiscent of the attempted Ghana-Mali federation formed on the 23rd day of November 1958 by Kwame Nkrumah and Modibo Keïta and the Tanganyika Zanzibar Union in 1964 spearheaded by Mwalimu Julius Kambarage Nyerere and Sheikh Karume – which is alive to date.
It is my hope and prayer that the confederation will catalyse African Integration as proposed in 1963 by Kwame Nkrumah and as contemplated under Africa Agenda 2063 and the Constitutive Act of the African Union adopted on the 11th of July 2000.
What progress did you see in terms of continental integration, and the free movement of Africans from one part to the other?
The Constitutive Act of the African Union as read together with the Africa Agenda 2063 and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) envisages an Africa where borders are dissolved, tariff and non-tariff barriers eliminated and there is free movement of peoples. In my view, the process is moving at snail speed and there is too much lip service by those tasked to mid-wife the process.
The conflicts and insurgencies in different countries in the continent further exacerbate the situation. Such conflicts and insurgencies are alive in Cameroon, Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, Northern Mozambique, Central African Republic, Somalia, the Amhara Region of Ethiopia, Sudan, Libya and South Sudan. These conflicts must be resolved as a condition-sine-qua non to have meaningful pro
The China Africa Forum, Indonesia -Africa Forum, South Korea Africa Summit, Italy-Africa Summit, and others all saw a heavy participation of African leaders, including those who typically shun continental events, how worried is PLO Lumumba and how worried should Africans be about this trend?
Africa has in the recent past as was in the olden days of classical colonialism been attractive to different countries for different reasons giving meaning to Pliny the Elder’s famous statement: Africa semper aliquid novi – Out of Africa always something new.
The reason why Africa is attractive is primarily because of her different natural resources which other countries need to fuel their economies as the world goes through the 4th & 5th Industrial revolutions.
While Africa cannot make herself a fortress, the relationship with other countries must be symbiotic and not parasitic. My fear is as long as African countries are disorganized and allow themselves to be humiliated then the continent will always have the short end of the stick to the detriment of her people. Africa’s continued dysfunctionality is to the benefit of others, and it is time Africa wakes up otherwise she will continue to be dominated by others.
The spirit of integration must be rekindled, and integration must be people centred rather than boardroom focused; as it is now, the African Union specializes in entering into Agreements and Protocols which are honoured in breach and are known to very few.
Energy is typically not your thing, but what do you make of the African response on the fossils debate and the creation of the African Energy Bank considered as an African solution to an African problem?
The energy debate is one that must involve all. Unfortunately, again, African countries are involved in this debate at a very peripheral level merely consuming what is churned out by the West.
While I am not a climate change denier, I am of the view that fossil fuels are with us to stay and what we need is to undertake research to clean it even as we embrace new and renewable energy.
The time is now for Africa to seek Nuclear energy even as we focus on solar, wind, geothermal and hydro-electric energy.
AU Commission Chair Moussa Faki is on his way, what is your take on his eight years at the helm of the continental body?
The African Union Commission led by Mohammed Mousa Faki has been at its most lacklustre during his (Faki’s) tenure. I have visited the African Union Commission in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on six (6) different occasions during the last eight (8) years and even as I enter the gate, I feel the lethargy in the organisation and whenever I come out, I am crestfallen.
During a panel debate in Kigali-Rwanda on the 9th day of April, 2017 I publicly challenged him and told him (Faki) that his office does not respond to communication and he had nothing to say. As I speak, the African Union is reliant on donor funding and her officers move from one meeting to another generating heat with little light for the benefit of the continent of Africa.
Your compatriot Raila Odinga has been running a very vibrant campaign to be the next AUC Chairperson, how enthused are you about his candidature and any policy recommendations for him on how to make the AU a better and stronger body at the service of Africa?
I do not support the bid of Mr. Raila Amollo Odinga to be the Chairperson of the African Union Commission for the following reasons:
First, I believe his candidature is designed to solve political problems in Kenya.
Secondly, I believe that at eighty (80) years he lacks the energy to serve the commission and that he should allow younger Africans to serve the continent, and that Mr. Odinga should retire.
Thirdly, I hold that the manner in which Mr. Odinga has engaged in his campaign accompanied with razzmatazz is divisive while the continent needs unity. That is to say Alpha Oumar Konaré – Mali (2003–2008), Jean Ping – Gabon (2008–2012), Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma – South Africa (2012–2017), and even the lacklustre Moussa Faki Mahamat – Chad (2017–present) did not campaign in such a manner. It is instructive that the previous holders of the office engaged in orderly campaign.
Fourthly, we must remember that in the year 2017 after elections in Kenya, which Mr. Odinga lost to Mr. Kenyatta the AU was once again used to assuage him through appointment as the High Representative for Infrastructure Development in Africa – a position that he left in unclear circumstances.
In January 2011 his appointment as a peace envoy to Côte d’Ivoire after postelection violence was rejected by Laurent Gbagbo when he was accused of partisanship
Any word on the African diaspora and the African continent, what recommendations do you have for the continent to better leverage the potential that its diaspora represents?
The African Diaspora to mean people of African descent to be found on different parts of the world – the United States of America, Canada, Britain, Dubai and immigrants are important people to Africa.
Indeed, there are a number of countries which rely on remittance from the diaspora – Nigeria, Egypt, Morocco, Ghana for survival; but remittance only constitutes a small fraction in what the diaspora can do to reboot Africa’s economy.
When Ghana’s President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo designated the ‘Year of Return’ for Ghana in September 2018, although specific to Ghana, it was a testament that people of Africa must come back development of Africa.
Africans are now “charged” in different parts of the world – the United Arab Emirates, Germany, the United States of America and Britain just to mention but a few. In this regard I salute my sister Dr. Arikana Chihombori – Quao who through her African Diaspora Development Institute is channeling investments in Africa.
What impact do you think the second coming of President Trump in the USA could have on Africa good or bad?
Whenever I am asked whether the election of a foreign leader is good for Africa, I pause. It reminds me that we are still suffering from the cargo-cult mentality which Chinua Achebe describes in “The Trouble with Nigeria” as the belief by backward people that a ship full of goods will dock in the port of hope carrying the goods that they desire without an effort on their part.
Donald J. Trump has been elected as the president of the United States of America and his primary mandate is to serve the United States and its people.
Of course I am aware that the United State is a military and economic power in the world and a hegemon but his administration will only be useful to Africa if Africa is organised. If African countries, choose to continue in division then they will be decimated one by one to the detriment of its people.
A last question on the African heroes and villains in 2024, could Prof Lumumba name some in each of those categories?
Politics= In the year 2024 in the political arena the winners are
-Ibrahim Traoré – Burkina Faso,
-Mamadi Doumbouya – Guinea,
Assimi Goïta – Mali,
-Bassirou Diomaye Diakhar Faye – Senegal,
-Abdourahamane Tchiani – Niger and General Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema – Gabon.
In the economic arena for the year 2024:
-Aliko Dangote – Nigeria.
-Abdul Samad Rabiu – Nigeria, a founder of BUA Group, a conglomerate with interests in cement, sugar, and real estate. Rabiu is renowned for his contributions to Africa’s industrialization and philanthropy through his ASR Africa Initiative and
-Strive Masiyiwa – Zimbabwean billionaire and visionary African entrepreneur is another leader in the African telecommunications.
The young people of Africa also deserve to be lauded where it is due. The following are among the young African people who take it for the year 2024;
-Joram Nkumbi – who is currently considered as one of the leading proponents of Kiswahili language,
-Ousman Toure – Gambia, who founded Sky Cosmetics, a cosmetic company in his country Gambia and now has a presence in Senegal, Guinea Conakry and Côte d’Ivoire. .
Wode Maya – Ghana, who has shed light on Africa and its potential.
For Pan African Activities
-Dr. Tulia Ackson – Speaker of Tanzania’s Parliament and President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU).
Dr. Arikana Chihombori-Quao – for diaspora investment through her African Diaspora Development Institute.
Dr. Susan Tatah (Cameroon) who has established the Pan African Daily Television.
-Joshua Maponga (Zimbabwe) who continues appeal for decolonisation of African minds.
-Ambassador Wallace Williams of Trinidad & Tobago for linking Africa to the Caribbean.
Edwin Taylor Flathen (Liberia) for championing organic seeds.
The Villains:
Mohamed Hamdan Daglo Hemeti and Abdel Fattah al-Burhan for perpetuating the war in Sudan.
Paul Biya whose administration has perpetuated a genocidal war against the people of Southern Cameroons (Ambazonia).
*Culled from December Edition of PAV Magazine
