Literary giant Ngugi wa Thiong’o has joined his ancestors. As we honour his legacy, we must remember his philosophy that true integration begins with decolonising the mind.
As Prof Ngugi would use characters and a plot to tell stories, my main character this week is one comrade in-chief well known for rigid colonial-era conservatism. In recent days, the powerful comrade who just happened, and who was thought to be a reformist, has become too guarded, and gores opponents like a buffalo.
‘Don’t destroy our country as you’ve done to yours’ is the new poem in the land. Foreigners are banned. But even these ‘unwanted’ guests are stubborn. The hubris, then their usual stank attitude. Last year, they desecrated their parliament, and said their leader had climbed the sycamore tree.
Now, there’s more than meets the eye. Word has it that the comrade detests economic integration, perhaps still traumatised by the collapse of the first regional community in 1977. That was when the ‘man eat man society’ phrase was coined, and a member called out for greed.
That said, nothing in life can be more tragic than inferiority complex that weighs down an entire country, to the extent that neighbourly help or advice is disallowed when desperately needed. Some see it as deep-rooted paranoia. This past week has laid it bare!
The comrade in-chief forgets that strength lies not in size or population, but in the courage to reach out and accept to work with allies who’ve achieved stronger economies, sound human rights credentials, good infrastructure, superior technologies, and civilisation in general.
Term it irrational distrust of others but this is exactly what’s unfolding. Opponents have been locked up. Some may face execution. The optics are bad. Clearly, ‘something’ is cooking ahead of elections later this year.
When lawyers are barred from accessing courts and activists tortured and raped, it cannot go unchallenged. In the past, we’ve seen many irrational actions. Expatriates being frustrated, imported chicks burnt and livestock auctioned off for crossing the border to graze. Souls of the chicks burned in 2017 can’t easily rest. There’s much ado over nothing.
In January 2024, an airliner had its flight approvals revoked. It was a mere pawn on the chessboard of geopolitical insecurity. The irony of integration in Africa. Leaders preach regional unity yet turn around to enforce tough talk, pride, entry restrictions and deportations.
It’s possible that the sulking comrade’s party is feeling the heat. The once-dominant monolith is gasping for breath, caught in a moral and political dilemma. It’s the end of the road for strongman, or is it strongwoman tactics. Mandarins are scrambling to steady the boat, even making nasty speeches in parliament to assert themselves.
When poll fever rises, so too does the obsession with power. It’s never uncommon for incumbents to spur with fantasy enemies, be they neighbouring states, media, civil society, even their own citizens. One tall man from the land of a thousand hills once warned us that if you are a leader and an idiot, it’s an absolute disaster.
Someone remind the comrade in-chief that paranoia has destroyed great leaders. Former US President Richard Nixon’s mistrust, secrecy and condescending attitude led to the Watergate scandal. He is only remembered in ignominy.
This is my two-cents: Amid the ruckus, let’s guard against xenophobia. We saw the aftermath when citizens of the former apartheid nation attacked foreigners. ‘Oga’ people paid a heavy price for ‘stealing’ jobs. Also, no one should even think of shutting their borders or airspace.
Let’s learn from the tensions between two neighbours in South Asia. Closer home, the gorilla republic and its mineral-rich nemesis aren’t gelling.
Finally, avoid tariff wars like plague. There’s a reason we hate to remember the ‘Conqueror of the British Empire’ and the man whose hat had leopard spots.
It’s time for retrospection. In the banana land, the big man has apologised for ‘mistakes’ during his tenure. Also, the Wednesday prayer day apology from the land of the ‘unwanted’ guests was welcome. We’re one people.
The writer is a communications practitioner. X:@markoloo
By Mark Oloo