Comments on: Afro Train

By: Ayomide

Ayomide — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 19:45:17 +0000

I don’t think national pride is necessarily something that can (or should) be manipulated; identity is really a personal issue that’s not really in the remit of national leadership (except maybe when it comes to sport. Then let the battles begin, all’s fair in love and war…).

It always comes across as really crass when people (especially those in positions of power) overtly attempt to define other people’s identity, and often leads to backlashes. I feel it’s more important to be a good citizen than to be a patriotic citizen – like King Lear’s daughter Cordelia, whose prosaic love of her father according to her duty ended up being more steadfast than her sisters’ flowery proclamations of the same. The state cannot ask for you to be more than a good citizen, but for it to do so it must fulfil its obligations to the citizens. Everyone living in a country should be guaranteed their rights as humans regardless of what their identity is. It is in such an environment of justice, and where people also have freedom of conscience, self determination and scope to imagine new things without being fettered by prescribed rules that innovation and progress flourish. That’s my opinion anyway.

Idealistic? Maybe. But I really do think Africans don’t need a chip on their shoulders about Africa’s problems, it reduces clarity of vision and is what happens when you tie in identity into solving social problems. We should do good because we can, and we should do good to all.

By: Bode

Bode — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 19:20:10 +0000

It is true that if we divide Africa along ethno-national lines, we will have a million countries with inadequate strength to be competitive on the global market. But as I said, this will be the first step in the right direction, not a final solution. We need to be able to come to terms with our strength and inadequacies before we are able to meaningfully negotiate our associations with each other as Africans.

By: Tosin

Tosin — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 05:56:47 +0000

Certainly, Africa will be great. I say that as someone who has thought about the issues before us, some of which you all raised. What is important is for each of us reading this to get to work making it so. Work doesn’t mean that thing that makes you tired, or bored, or pissed; work could mean that thing you do naturally, that gets you fired up, or connected to something spiritual, beautiful, true…
Aim to be an MVP for African development and the future we want will be here shortly.

Also, one thing you may adopt soon is to focus less on the “leaders” – they are on their way out and we are Africa now. Most of Africa is under 30 (you know this from censuses, or the high birth rate.) So basically, youth have numbers on our side. We have time on our side, relative to the older ones. We have technology on our side. We’re really not too young to be about action and not talk. If Africa is screwed up, very soon it will be OUR fault, there won’t be anyone else to point at. Does that scare you? Excite you?

Have fun. LOVE THIS SITE, by the way.

By: Ayomide

Ayomide — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 00:22:32 +0000

I’m not sure redrawing national borders along ethno-national lines is necessary. The countries within the European Union are not all ethnically homogenous (even historically), it only appears that way on the surface. Many, such as France and the countries within the UK, have their ‘tribes’ just as African countries do. Historically many European countries have always been multi-ethnic, if mainly monoracial (just like many African countries). Europe has had to fight many wars, including the two big ones of the last century because of this – in fact the creation of the EU was to make sure this did not have to happen again. And even at the moment there are emotive questions about identity which dogg the future of the EU (the most recent being national disputes over the Lisbon treaty).

More co-operation, rather than redrawing national lines, is what I perceive to be more important in solving ethnic conflict. In Europe as in Africa, the question of identity is mostly manipulated for political gain and is largely irrelevant to the practical running of things, so long as there is guaranteed equality and justice for all. Separatism is not a prerequisite for ethnic harmony in a multi-ethnic country. What is needed is a redefining of identity to one of citizenship: and the best way for this to happen is to make sure the contract between the state and the individual is honoured – i.e. all citizens are granted equal rights and protections under the law and in practice. This is possible with visionary leadership. Also, since cultures evolve with time, people in different ethnic groups are finding their cultures evolving within the same social construct – surely this can mean that they align more closely over time (as has happened in Europe).

By: Sinele

Sinele — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 18:13:09 +0000

very interesting article Mr O. But we are so stuck at the con…what would be the universally acceptable group to lead this project. Even if the leadership is impeccable some people would still make noise just because the leaders are not from their respective tribes/country…We need nothing short of a miracle to reform our continent

By: Koye

Koye — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 05:27:10 +0000

I think the last comment is extremely valid but I disagree with the conclusion. If we divide Africa along ethno-national lines, we will have a million countries with inadequate strength to be competitive on the global market.
If we look at ancient European history we find that diverse cultures were forced to merge into singular nations. With recurring repercussions still evident in modern day Spain and the United Kingdom.
I think we should see what they did and what fragmented America did to create a singular nation identity, which was to create ‘an other’. This could lead to dangerous precedents, but we must create an African identity that its people are proud of and want to rally behind.
As the people of diverse histories were proud to be identified by the single word American, we must push for Africans to take a similar pride and view in their continent.

By: Bode

Bode — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 22:57:24 +0000

Well written piece, but I feel the article ignores the fudamental issue plaguing Africa. The problem in Africa is not socio-economic neither is it efficient transportation nor adequate security, these are mere symptoms of an underlying cause. The problem in Africa is purely socio-cultural. Hardly any African country can boast of being mono-ethnic, what we have in Africa are not countries but abitrary geopolitical contraptions that make the process of nation building not to talk of continent building impossible. When a country is comprised of peoples with incongruent socio-cultural views,this will definately translate to incongruent socio-politcal and soci-economic views.
Europe is where it is today, because it did not shy away from recognising the socio-cultural differences of its people. The European union is as successful as it is, only because it is a negotiated association amongst distinct countries. These countries are distinct because, for the most part each is made up of a predominant ethnic nationality.
To solve Africa’s problem, each country as it is now needs to have an honest discussion with itself, and be willing to do what it takes to address the issue of unlike minds trying to achieve a common goal.
I think the first step in the right direction will be to redraw national boarders along ethno-national lines.

By: Banke

Banke — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 18:54:17 +0000

Definitely a food for thought. If security can indeed be guaranteed, a train system that connects the continent would be a plausible solution for us to get around. Migration rules would also have to be addressed. Buses – which would take longer – might also be an option for consideration. Some countries already use this within (e.g. Nigeria), and between some neighbouring countries (e.g. between Kenya and Uganda). I just think of the “China town” buses like Lucky Star and Fung Wa, Bolt, Greyhound, that connect certain states especially in the North East of the USA. While African countries might not employ these buses for long range trips, they might be befitting to transit between neighbouring countries. Well written Diekoye!

By: Jen

Jen — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 15:22:42 +0000

How can we forward this to Ghaddafi and all other people keen about Pan-Africanism but who do not seem to understand what Africa need is not another -ism syndrome!

A well written article. Thanks.

By: Ayomide

Ayomide — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 14:53:21 +0000

You are so right, I’ve spent the past day trying to plan a West Africa trip/entry to and exit from the continent and learning that the transport routes are still very much colonial ones – I was just telling my mum we need trains! It’s much easier to connect to African countries via the middle east/Europe than it is to go directly from one to the other, and the few direct flights are prohibitively expensive (cf ~£600 from Ghana to Senegal airborne with £59 from London to Paris by train). Meanwhile, the rail guages in neighbouring countries (at least in the west) are different and so cannot connect. So we have to entrust ourselves to the roads! It was thus galling to then watch a government sponsored ad promoting Africa as the centre of the universe when it patently is not – what’s the use of showing people pictures of pretty places if they can’t get there? Which is what talking up nice ideas of solidarity without investing in infrastructure does. Hopefully this will change soon if the following is anything to go by though (Ecowas is planning to connect all the rail systems in its borders to create one integrated rail network):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Africa_Regional_Rail_Integration