Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Lesson from Abidjan

Yes very strange indeed! History is yet to present a real life example and experience of Liberation without struggle, nor has it yet presented one of a 'pure' process of liberation where as Lenin once alluded with the case of Irish resistance; 'progressives will line on one side of the trench, and reactionaries on the other side, and begin to slug it out!'.
Reality is far more complicated! In real life, real people struggle for their liberation and for improvements in their conditions often times in contradictory ways!
So in Ivory Coast ordinary people were able to momentarily overcome the cleavages and voted across those fault lines, but now that moment is being taken away and could be lost because demagogues and dictators, yesterdays would be progressives and liberators are being allowed to trample over the expressed will of ordinary Ivoriens.
It is indeed very strange!
Warm Regards,
Jaye Gaskia

Sent from my BlackBerry wireless device from MTN

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From: Kwasi Gyan-Apenteng <gapenteng@hotmail.com>

Sender: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com

Date: Fri, 14 Jan 2011 13:58:41 +0000

To: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com<usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com>; GLU Forum<glu-ghana-leadership-forum@googlegroups.com>

ReplyTo: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com

Subject: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Lesson from Abidjan

It appears that if the there is any lesson to learn from the reactions to what is happenning in La Cote d'Ivoire, it is that most of us hope to have good governance and democracy on the cheap, and preferably at no cost to ourselves and comforts. This attitude is surprisingly even more pronounced in Ghana and among Ghanaians whereas one would have thought that our own history would have taught us that if you want democracy and good governance you have to fight. There is no easy walk to freedom, and freedom has to be nurtured, cultivated and maintained day by day, hour by hour.
 
Nkrumah said many years ago that the independence of of Ghana was meaningless, etc; and all first generation African patriots, even those who were not very enthusiastic about pan-Africanism agreed that slave-like conditions anywhere on the continent was an affront to Africans everywhere; hence the bitter struggle against apartheid to its end. People died. Many could have betrayed the cause and lived in extreme comfort. Think of Samora Machel. Think of O. R. Thambo, and Sisulu and Mbeki and Mandela.
 
When Rhodesia declared UDI in 1965, Ghana led the very vociferous campaign against it and broke diplomatic relations with Britain over the issue. Across Southern Africa the reaction was bitter. People died. Some could have capitulated and lived in great comfort. Think of Nkomo and even Mugabe.
 
Today, a new struggle is opening in front of our own eyes. This is the struggle to fight against the democracy backlash that is building across the continent. In some cases monarchies are emerging against the will of the people; elsewhere presidents who have lost elections are clinging on through sheer force of "power sharing". It is taking many forms and yet Africa's intellectuals are shying away from this confrontation. Or perhaps, people don't see the writing on the wall.
 
It is very strange.

 
Kwasi
 
(Kwasi Gyan-Apenteng, Journalist & Communications Consultant)
 Programme Coordinator,  Cultural Initiatives Support Programme
 Du Bois Centre, PMB CT 219, Cantonments, Accra
 Tel: +233 21 770677
 Please copy OFFICIAL correspondence to kgapenteng@cispghana.org
 
ALSO
 
President, Ghana Association of Writers
PAWA House, Accra