Letters
Lans Joe Sesay's piece on Sierra Leone
I wish to refer to Lans Joe Sesay's article in your issue of 27th February 1984 titled 'Pressure mounts on reopening of Universities".Lans Joe Sesay must have conjured up the number of students killed as three. He quoted the 'New shaft which said one of the students was killed by a 'Lebanese trader' named Ibrahim Basma. I wish to point out that the newspaper now has a case to answer before the Freetown High Court for that publication.
Neither the United Christian Council nor the Sierra Leone Muslim Congress considers itself as a pressure group on His Excellency the President and Cabinet forcing them to re-open the college. They, like other progressive bodies, are desirous of a good relationship between the University and the Government and people.
For the records, it is pertinent to point out that President Siaka Stevens was first appointed Prime Minister in 1967 and again in 1968 after the military regime was forced out of office. He was first elected President in April 1971. Neither at the last convention nor at any other did the All Peoples Congress discuss making Dr. Siaka Stevens President-For-Life. I hope this letter helps to clear the erroneous points.
Alpha Wilson
Press and Information Attache
Sierra Leone High Commission
33 Portland Place London WIN 3AG
The Concord editorial
I SMELL A RAT. Rather, the Concord editorial quoted in the 27th February issue of the Talking Drums caused me to smell a rat, and I pray that it is only a smell without a rat.What the Concord characterised as potential double standards in treating Jakande and Ekweme differently than Shagari has clear undertones of ethnic differentiation, in other places called tribalism. Is Shagari being treated differently because he is a northerner but Jakande and Ekweme are not?
Sooner than later, the Concord together with those who have welcomed the soldiers with such aplomb will learn that in military administration, logic is not one of the strong points. And that is precisely the reason why the Talking Drums since the coup appears to be fussing about press freedom which Nigerian journalists apparently have unwittingly gambled away in their euphoria.
In the rather delicate politics of Nigeria, the SMC may well be advised to tread carefully to ensure that perceptions about unequal treatment of the various ethnic groups do not gain currency. In this endeavour, the press can either be a catalyst in fanning deep seated suspicions or play a responsible directive role in putting the govern- ment on the right path. Otherwise, what appears to be the good intentions of the military administrators could blow up into something unsightly. The past is too fresh in our minds, and I certainly don't want the Talking Drums to carry an editorial which might read: 'I TOLD YOU SO!'
Kwaku Kpatakpa Gyampo
Los Angeles.
The challenge of democracy
THE BASIC reason why democracy appears to have failed in black Africa could be due to the fact that, most of the African politicians come from poor families. If any of these politicians by means of chance, wins an election in his constituency, he, therefore, thinks that the greatest opportunity has fallen on his own side to enrich himself and his family. He is just like a poor child, who in the later part of his life attains a position which he never dreamt of. Then, he becomes automatically greedy, corrupt, negligent, self-centred, indisciplined and hence unpatriotic.Considering the elementary definition of democracy government of the people by the people and for the people, and the attitudes of most African politicians as stated above, the question as to whether the leaders of black African countries think of the real essence and meaning of democracy at all, much less putting it into practice as they promise before they are voted into power. Just look at a country like Nigeria where all thought that democracy had come to stay. In fact it was regarded as the greatest democracy in black Africa and the fourth in the world but due to the apparent greed and selfishness of the regime of Shehu Shagari, it collapsed without any resistance.
When most of the African politicians come to power, the first thing they think of is how to embezzle the nation's money and before this can be done, they need to gag the opposition parties, the press and the Trade Union Congress (TUC); the only organs of the nation which could challenge them. When all these stabilizing and corrective forces are pacified, only the army, because of its high disciplinary quotient can act, hence, a coup d'état, leading to a military regime. This is exactly what has happened to so many African countries like Ghana, Togo, Liberia, Central African Republic etc. where, after their ascension to power, the leaders forgot that egalitarianism is a fundamental essence in Democracy!
The future of democracy in black Africa depends on our future politicians. And where it fails, then, of course, we have to face the sun which rises from the East! A block where everything belongs to the state!
Vernantius Omenukor
University of Hamburg West Germany
The military burden on Africa
LIKE THE SPREAD of cancer in the affluent societies, military coup is a disease that has entered deep into the political fabric of West African nations. Hardly does a month go by without a report of a coup or an attempted coup. Whilst to most Ghanaians, the 1981 coup came as perhaps, the most humiliating event in our short political history, the recent take-over in Nigeria confirms the view, unjustified though it may be, that the black man cannot govern himself.Quite so often you hear of friends and countrymen resident abroad condemning the use of a gun to unseat a constitutionally elected government. And you can count me among those who are bitterly against the bullet rather than the ballot as a means of affecting a political change.
Some of the most meaningful arguments against the soldier-in-power are: that he does not get into power by popular consent; that he rules by a 'mob law' and that no soldier is capable of managing an economy which a civilian administrator has found unmanageable. It can also be said, arguable, that the international stand of any country is adversely affected when that country's affairs come under the charge of soldiers.
Thousands of points are raised against an 'abongo' administration and I subscribe to most of them. But who cares if there are reasons enough to justify the military take-over? After all, isn't the soldier a citizen? It is true that some power drunk soldiers are even worse than the civilians they are supposed to replace and we cannot lose sight of the fact that in some cases ordinary sergeants have taken over reins and found out that the responsib- ility is beyond their capabilities.
However, if the civilian politicians are to attract any trust from the popu lation is it not about time they mended their sordid ways? How can we yearn for a civilian rule when the rulers choose to tuck away into foreign banks our nation's wealth? How much longer, for instance, can any Ghanaian go on suffering the degradation inflicted upon him by his fellow civilian who calls himself a politician?
Some of our politicians and the so- called professionals are alleged to have often chosen to damage their own country and then escape into hiding abroad. Where is our sense of shame? They empty our national coffers and deposit their loots into American, British and European banks. And as soon as the curtain falls, they exile themselves in these countries to enjoy their ill-gotten wealth.
Can any of the present exiles in the streets of London, New York and Frankfurt honestly say that they have nothing to hide? Will any of them be prepared to open their fat bank books for investigation? Can the professionals and the businessmen come clean in response to the allegations that most of them evaded tax? To dupe one's country and escape to a foreign land is a crime that society can never forget.
I am calling upon all selfless and concerned Ghanaians in Britain, USA, Germany and anywhere else to join together to expose these cheats if we are to have any chance of a better Ghana. There is no use poking fingers into the eyes of Rawlings and his government while the real culprits live in luxury abroad. Let these people pay for their 'crimes' against the state and the people of our dear Ghana. Some of the ex-politicians and the professionals in exile may be clean and, if they are, why don't they join us to bring the bad boys and girls to book?
We are all fed up with our country being run by people whose only political know-how is the pulling of the trigger. But they will always with their polished armour if the civilians cannot learn to behave.
Andrew Owusu Appiah
High Wycombe, Bucks.
Fighting for the crumbs!
WHEN one looks at history, it is no surprise that Africa cannot expect assistance from the 'developed' nations since their 'development' was dependent upon subjugation of alien lands and peoples.How can Africa expect genuine aid from Canada and the U.S. when the indigenous peoples of North America have no say in matters that govern their lives? Is this not parallel to the situation in South Africa?
And didn't western Europe become powerful through exploitation of African goods and labour? And now that they, who interpreted love and openness as barbarism and stupidity, have reached their peak of development, could it be expected that they would, in the name of peace and brotherhood, relinquish part of their ill- gotten gain for the purpose of relieving the suffering of those who were origin- ally regarded as less than cattle?
If the intention of the western powers was to alleviate hunger in Africa as well as other third world nations, would North American farmers be paid not to produce milk and grain? Indeed, if they did ship grain, might it not be that very grain that is suspected of causing cancer due to carcinogenic sprays? Many might consider such a question preposterous, but could the descendents of those who gave the natives of America small-pox infected blankets be capable of any less?
It seems evident, therefore, that Africa cannot look to the western wear. world for aid (I.M.F. and multi nationals included) since experience has shown that such aid requires viable profit-making economies that tend only to rape Africa's resources at the expense of African children. This may be hard for some to see, for, in the face of starvation, the memory of the crumbs from the table of former 'masters' seems appetising.
Nor can Africa look toward the eastern-block nations, for theirs is a case of utilization of all available resources to create a bulwark against the profiteering ideal of the west.
So the former uses the resources for personal gain while the latter seeks to mobilise resources against the former. In either case, African soil will be made the poorer and African children made to suffer immeasurably by twin vultures who seek to satisfy their barbaric hunger by pecking at the bones that are Africa.
The answer to this dilemma does not even lie in alliances with middle-eastern politico-theocracies, for African blood is too precious to be spilt whilst Arab brothers fight over what colour coat to wear.
So Africa appears as a desperate hungry child fathered by the hope of independence and mothered by belief in brotherhood and world acceptance. And now, in Africa's greatest hour of need, this child stands hungry and pleading in the wilderness while first world nations make plans to strip her naked and leave her bones to bleach in the desert that Africa will become.... for, although these nations have developed great technologies, they have not been able to advance their cultural mentality any further than that viking or conquistador. And the child can only look with desolate eyes pityingly upon the ignorance of the vengeance.
that may yet light the ignorance of the world, for only the oppressed can fully know hunger and despair and only those who know can teach. Thus, as Africa emerges from a millenium of oppression that is comparable to nothing since the beginning of time, she can become teacher to the world and her love for children can cause hope and belief to unite again and bring forth a child of wisdom and love that will be wise enough not to make burnt industrial offerings to the international monetary god while the sky cries acid tears that scar the world's crops.
Africa has in the past sifted foreign religions and ideologies and kept only those parts that glorify God and creation, and so it must be with the theocracy of technology. Africa can not afford to become equal with the developed nations for such equality would mean that she, too, would be exploiter and oppressor, and the shame of it would be that Africans would exploit Africans. The developed nations seek company in their nuclear hell and would heartily welcome the loss of Africa's soul.
Wisdom is the correct use of knowledge. So it is that Africa must use its knowledge of technology and anneal it with the wisdom of the past and use it to put things back in the order that the Creator meant them to be in and then sweep itself clean of technocratic litter.
Then, perhaps, will African children again be strong and healthy.
And then, perhaps, will the ray of hope become a beacon unto the world, and the Star of Africa will be more than a promise, and a clean river will flow for every child, forever.
Kwame James
Perry, Maine USA
Don't whisper in frustration. GET IT OFF YOUR CHEST NOW! Write to "TALKING DRUMS"
