Give us free. Give us free.

“I know that Lumumba would not have wanted people to be sad. He would not want you to be upset and angry. [He] believed in Africa and Africans, those at home and those abroad. He believed in Black Power.”

Kurtis Blow

I'm concerned about France's restrategizing and restructuring of their military presence in it's former colonial territories.  I won't pretend to be so intimatly versed in all of Africa's politics, but it seems to me that Frnech poliices towards countries of majority African population, ie. Haiti, leave ones wanting.  Maybe it's the bravado or indigestible arrogance, but even humanitarian missions give me an ill feeling.  I mean, when do European nations, who of their own accord carved and dissected the land only to fill the worlds coiffers, turn tail and exist Africa?  Mainly speaking, the sphere of influence that extends far beyond the facade of multi-cutural globalization.  The more sinister, shadow puppet type of affairs that feel ever present in western media coverage.  Reading between the pixels, of course.

Granted my assesments may in fact be purely elementary, hopefully at least sophmoric, but is that really not something that should be part of an overall strategy for Africa?  Can we not form strategic economic and development alliances that go both ways and leave African soil free from interlopers?  Imagine your own home being overrun by people who systematically benefit from every inefficiency and every destabilizing outcome of every household decision, and who in fact areguiding most if not all of the process, holding their support much like the carrot on a stick.  "Do things this way or we'll leave."  "We will only back that candidate, by force if necessary."

I'm not advocating for the strategy taken by Ugandan leader Idi Amin Dada, but maybe he knew then what is clear now: these "people" will continue to meddle in African affairs as long as we keep allowing them to.  I should also argue for nationalization of business interests, or better continetalization.  But that argument only ratchettes up fears and takes away from the real message.  It would flush out those whose interests weren't expressively African-centric though.  Of course there are presently boots on the ground in the form of NGOs and other humanitarian missions; my issue is more with the governments and multinationals that perpetually play human poker in Africa, continuously profitting while Africa ackwardly works at getting her bearings, rather than those whose interactions have clear end dates. 

The wave of uprisngs and celebrations of independence give hope that one day Africa will be free of the vultures, parasites and pirates, reclaim her history and effectively stand, firmly stand as leaders amongst leaders on the world stage.  Working with the brotherhood of men and the community of nations, without so much as a nudge, gentle or otherwise.  Let us call on our own power and strengths and do so not grudgingly.  There is much work to be done, true.  But the future looks very bright indeed.