The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has never been a free country. Its people have never been free. The country has never been truly "independent," though this same status quo can be assigned to a long list of "independent" African countries. Even then, the DRC seems to be among, if not the worst-case scenario--that is, the least "independent" of our long list of "independent" African polities. Like a ceaselessly boiling pot, its endless state of turmoil that leaves the masses endemically impoverished has, on the other hand, enormously benefitted historic exploiters of the continent's natural resources and their internal collaborators--historic exploiters who typically profit from internal disunity, disequilibrium, and internecine warfare.
The latest flare-up needs to be watched carefully, and let's not rush to judgment about who is right or wrong. Let's hope for a people-oriented, people-centered, and thus African interests-centered victory. Let's be careful and discerning as we read and watch emerging reports and interpretations of the unfolding situation. One question that this current flare-up provokes is this: if the "rebels" succeed in capturing the capital, Kinshasa, and thus overthrowing and replacing the incumbent government, will such an outcome amount to a people-centered, African liberation of the long-suffering polity? Your guess is as good as mine.
Perhaps, South Africa's ex-President Tabo Mbeki's take on the DRC situation may help give us a deeper understanding of the multifarious dynamics that are at play in this Africa's zone of endless ferment, warfare, and bloodshed: https://youtu.be/KMldcBNRJOs. Another helpful lens comes from Professor Patrick Lumumba:https://youtu.be/KB31VhZVZzA.
On Thu, Jan 30, 2025 at 9:02 PM Toyin Falola <toyinfalola@austin.utexas.edu> wrote:
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Sincerely,
Victor O. Okafor, Ph.D.
Professor and Head
Department of Africology and African American Studies
Eastern Michigan University
Email: vokafor@emich.edu
Tel: 734.487.9594
Food for Thought:
"The ultimate measure of a man [or, a woman] is not where he [or, she] stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he [or, she] stands at times of challenge and controversy." -- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
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