Hard hearing

In Nebraska last week, the President-for-now, Donald J. Trump lambasted African leaders who have through their greed and corrupt tendencies reduced their people to slaves and sub humans. He was appalled at our indignant leaders’ procesed withdrawal from the from the International Criminal Court located in Hagues, not in Harare, Zimbabwe.

Reacting to a question from a South African reporter, President Trump said: "It is shameful for African leaders to seek exit from ICC. In my view, these leaders want to have all the freedom to oppress their poor people without anyone asking them a question.

I think there is no shortcut to maturity and in my view, Africa should be recolonized because Africans are still under slavery”. Strong words from an equally representative of a strong order.

Before you write off Donald Trump as a demagogue, let us laser focus on the message and  you will realize  that Mr Trump has not said anything earth shaking. Similar messages and opinions have been expressed at different fora by divergent leaders in the past. However, apart from President Mohammed Buhari, who can be excused on medical ground because of his impaired hearing, it appears other African leaders’ ears are mainly decorative and not meant for hearing.

To be called a slave in the modern era is insultive. To be one without knowing is horrible and to not be able to do anything about it is demeaning. This is our lot in Africa-a continent that is the bank of almost one third of the world's hidden treasue.

Slaves are naturally timid and submissive, unable to seek more than ideal and quite content with deplorable conditions. Slaves are bound more by mind than matters and that is why after celebrating independence over some decades ago, our fellow slaves whom we shared the same colonial master are now reminding us that we are still under hidden shackles like our treasures.

Further more, a European court prosecuting mainly African leaders in Europe, while Bush Jnr and Tony Blair may never have their day in court over atrocities in Iraq, has the characterizations of modern slavery judiciary process.

Given the backlash this speech is going to generate in the social media, it is pertinent we look at the options available to us both as acclaimed slaves and unrepentant optimists.

With the treachery of some few native leaders and the European leeches the continent of Africa witnessed these: the destruction of magnificent civilizations, the break-up of family and kinship circles, the massive depopulation, forced impoverishment, famine and starvation, the ravishing of an environment which had been so conducive to human civilization for millennia.

Compared that to what we have now and you may want to agree with me that while neither conditions are suitable; Trump’s call for re-colonization is completely insensitive and off the mark.

The saddest and unmentioned part of this narrative is that our leaders are as enslaved as the led. And this story is not likely to change anytime soon.