The Romanisation of African leadership
I shall begin this article in AD 60 in Britain, which was not a nation state at the time, but a group of native tribes’ man. One of the famous tribes, whose name still echoes throughout history was the Inceni, who ruled as an independent tribe but through an allegiance with Rome. However, this allegiance was short-lived, as the Inceni rose up against the Roman machinery. They burned present day Colchester to the ground in an orgy of violence that left many dead. The Roman machinery therefore decided to punish the Inceni who were now being led by Queen Boudica and in an open battle they lost to a Roman legion. This followed a period of terror for many people in Britain as Roman soldiers ravaged their lands, killing, looting and raping, in order to reinforce they were the ones in charge. After sometime however, the Romans realized that their brutal methods were affecting the flow of goods and services to Rome.
Britain was a source of important natural resources to the Roman Empire. So, it was decided to “Romanise” the British as a means to make them participate in the Roman machinery. The Romans seduced the clan leaders of British clans to Roman ways. The Roman baths, debauchery and lifestyle offered an interesting alternative to their tribal lifestyles. So Rome began to rule Britannia in cohorts with its tribal leaders who willingly assimilated into the Roman way of life. Even the children of the nobility were encouraged to be schooled in Roman ways. Cities build with stone and decorated with fine furnishings crept up across the empire, and for a good while Rome had a grip on the state of affairs in Britannia, which enabled them to keep extracting resources. Many Britons laboured in Roman mines, working day and night to build the Roman Empire, while their leadership where indulging themselves in Roman debauchery.
Today, much of the Western World needs the vast natural resources that Africa possesses. In the past, they colonized Africa using military means, but soon these colonies fell as African Nationalist groups rose against their colonial masters. Many wars were fought in Africa, resulting in the “Independence” of many African states. Heroes emerged across the continent, men such as Kwame Nkrumah, Thomas Sankara, Robert Mugabe and Julius Nyerere.
However, the old machinery of the Western world still needed Africa’s vast natural resources in order to built nation states. So they began “Romancing” these new revolutionary leaders of Africa. They were introduced to the trappings of extravagant lifestyles made possible by the inventions of the Western world. So, many of them began purchasing large expensive motorcades and large homes. To finance their new addiction to the finer things capitalism offers, they began stealing from their state coffers, creating a condition in which the people continue suffering and the gains of their so called Independence, began to mean nothing.
In this regard, the Western world found new partners in their old age game of empire building. As long as the African leaders cum tyrants remained in line to Western whims, they could steal and misappropriate state funds, indulging in lifestyles many of their populations can imagine. For example, today the son of president Obiang of New Guniea has a reputation of being an extravagant spender. He is building a yacht worth well over USD300 million dollars, fully equipped with a basketball court and other untold luxuries. In Zimbabwe, Mugabe’s wife has a reputation for being a shopaholic, who spends millions of state funds building her own businesses empire and indulging in a lifestyle of untold luxury. All this happens, while the nation is teetering with 90% unemployed.
However, in Mugabe’s case, he fell out with the Western world after giving back land back to the people. This bold and revolutionary move upset the Western world as it threatened their interests. In order to avoid the Mugabe land grabbing contagion, pressure was mounted on Mugabe and all manner of Western media branded him an evil tyrant.
In my opinion, I applaud giving land back to the African people, but I do not agree with the violent manner in which Mugabe achieved this. The only reason I disagree with Mugabe is his use of bloody violence against his own people. What also appals me is the way in which Mugabe and his officials indulge in the Western lifestyle at the expense of the people. Mugabe probably has the most expensive motorcade in Africa.
His lifestyle is financed by rampant corruption, which leaves the nation on its knees. In this way, Mugabe was successfully conquered and “Romanced” by the trappings of the Western luxuries. Many African heads of state are also under this trap. They become therefore blinded to the suffering of their people and in fact often use violence to control the masses. This is one of the primary reasons why Africa is in a terrible predicament, because of the successful Romanisation of our leaders and officials. This Romanisation has also spilled to the public. Many young Africans now subscribe to the school of thought that to be successful is to have the Western lifestyle. To drive a Mercedes Benz and have an extravagant house is now seen as the pinnacle of success. In this way, we are all becoming Westernized and this is an age old trap borrowed from the Romanisation of much of the Western world by Rome.
Time may have changed, but the same old tricks of history are still being successfully used against Africa. Perhaps the greatest equalizer in the equation is the rise of China as it has mastered the Capitalism game better that the Westerners themselves. Now the major trading partner of Africa is China. Luckily, the Chinese have no real cultural influence on Africa. It is they who are actually falling to the traps of Romanisation by Western luxuries. There are widespread reports of extravagant lifestyles being led by many Chinese high ranking officials and business man. The ordinary Chinese is now demanding more access to these luxuries and hence it is becoming more and more expensive to exploit the masses in China. They are beginning to demand their fair share of the Romanisation of China.
Now, when one looks at all this, one realizes that in fact, no one has won anything. Today much of Western Europe is in decline, a fate eventually suffered by the Roman Empire, leading to its total collapse. Britain is no longer the great empire it once was. Nevertheless, it is prudent for those whose economies are still growing, like the Chinese/Indians, who like the Westerners need Africa’s resources to finance their growing economic appetites. In this regard, one wonders why Africa is still poor when everyone seems to need its vast resources.
This is a time, a golden age of Africa where the leadership must be replaced by unselfish leadership which will play the capitalism game well enough in order to eradicate poverty and create a lifestyles enviable to the Western world. However, in the end, even if Africa rises economically, it will still fall trap to the Romanisation weakness. The weakness which has led to the decline of all former glory nations is greed and without it the Romanisation machinery cannot function.
Therefore, I think Africa needs new Sankara’s. Men and women who are not trapped by the Romanisation system. Men and women who are opposed to the capitalistic system, but who know how to manipulate it for the benefit of all citizens. In this regard, I applaud the work president Joyce Banda is initiating in Malawi. Her action of selling the presidential jet and unnecessary fleet of government luxury cars, to better use the money for her countries development is noteworthy. I do hope she will not meet Sankara’s fate and be assassinated. She is playing politics from the heart of the people and Africa needs such visionary leadership. Joyce Banda appears not to be trapped or blinded by the Romanisation trap. A filthy trap which has kept our leadership in bondage of luxury, while the masses suffer.
Now I have come to the conclusion of my article. In my humble opinion, the greatest enemy to Humanity is the Romanisation system. Some call it the capitalistic system. This system is doomed to fail as history has proven to us. Empires will rise and fall. But this time around, it is Africa set to rise.
Aluta Continua. Africa for Africa is tomorrows Africa.
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