AU welcomes NATO and ICC to Africa

Love is the private affair between two consenting adults. Leadership is a public transaction with history. This foreword statement is a literary work titled “Book of World Leaders” which is flooded with volumes of admonishment on leadership. Antonio Titus Cicero the Roman, historian and poet says, “Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others”, and every level headed fellow who reads the above thought before ascending into a position of trust, should show appreciation.

In a previous feature article captioned, “The Generational Teething Pain”, I tried to spell out the perspective of leadership in the eye of society. What every leader prospect should inculcated before taking a position is that, leaders emerge from the society and not the other way round. Society chose their leaders not, the leader opting for a people. As the leader is groomed by society to lead them so could the leader mentor others to take over someday? There can be a society without a visionary leader or a leader at all but, could there be a leader, visionary or not, without a people? Hence, a person can not impose his or her self on a people; it would be amounting to arm twisting, muscle flexing and the highest level of lunacy. What is the justification of an individual forcing his or her authority over group(s) of people? Society will go on choosing the people to lead them and not vice versa.

The occurrences in North Africa, culminating in the abdication of Presidential Palaces of Tunisia and Egypt, while the people of Libya aimed and did away with their leader who was looking set to dying at the palace, confirm that power belong to the people, for that reason the same will vest it in whoever society so desire. What under this illuminating sun would lead a person to conceive that wildest idea that, he or she is self ordained to rule or lead a people? Such individual's should be prompted, they are dreaming while awake. The dawn is here for all prospective leaders, to realize that society is wide awake and well tutored not to allow the rough riding that self appointed, self classd leaders has subjected society to prolong feather. What transpired in North Africa should serve as a deterrent to such dictators in despotic ruling spirit to prick themselves that, the period of respite has expired. It is weird though for a leader to choose persons

whom they would like to rule in their stead when they are done with their tenure. But that is what has been persisting in mainly Africa. Mention can be made of Togo, Gabon, and D.R. Congo including other leaders whose intents are no more on their chest as to which of their children should succeed them. Equatorial Guinea, Senegal, Uganda etc, nowhere else than Africa, sorry, there is no hard feeling. Africa, “Only your democracy”

Ghana as a Sovereign state has outgrown this bizarre sought of governance. Since the graduation and maturation to reach out for the ballot box, it has been a forward march. Power belongs to the people and as presumed that absolute power corrupt absolutely, such cannot be said of the Ghanaian society again. Ghana should not only maintain this blazed trail, but try to export this idea to as many who wish to learn this culture of allowing the people to choose who to lead them. The West African sub-regions' recently held elections are nothing but a mirage. Which leaves many with the ugly query, whether; Africa will ever learn from the learned or the best. Many are leaders from Africa who have graced occasions that an incumbent government handed over power to the elect in Ghana since 1992, but has learnt next to nothing to wave good bye to the thought of dying in the presidential palace. There is an American political sage which says “The best way to feed

birds is to give plenty of oats to horses. Is this the best way Africa can be led? These invited African leaders that Ghana play host to come but are with logs in their ears and veil to their eyes, neither can they hear nor see.

The recent forced through candidacy of Abdulayi Wade of Senegal despite the constitutional cap of two terms, without any critic from the wholesale membership of the Africa Union (AU) tells the true character of the leadership philosophy of the African continental body, though not all. This is a fad that Africa should do well to tie down in the yore as she marches towards the arena of modern democracy. At Eighty-five (85), when Mr. Wade should willingly turn his back on politics for his grandchildren, he is still finding a zest to stay in the trenches. Who really pushed this idea down his ears? If Mr. Wade could detect a bitter taste with the tongue, could he not realise that this was bad message for the ear? One need not urinate into a river, for a relation might drink from it. For the sake of presidential handouts and contracts such dubious practices which are undemocratic would be smuggled at the peril of a dying nation, let the fallibility of human

memory not lose it.
When the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) turned their destructive weapons on Libya, many were the African spokespersons who spew varied arguments, some coherent and others laced with inconsistencies. But what was their beef, if not the reason that a non AU member was invading the continent? Forty-two years saw an individual who abhorred dynastic rule entrenched himself on a people despite the yelling and objection of the nation. The Africa Union could not call him to order till the melt down was so severe that, he had to be shown the exit route that brought him to power. If a carved god becomes uncontrollable, it must be shown the tree from which was carved from. Where was the morality of the African Leaders' to obstruct those possessing the big guns? No guts. If you recuse yourself from thinking you will force someone to do so for you. Pure and simple. That was exactly, what NATO did. What took place in Libya cannot be justified though by

the Western powers, but ask, what enticed them into this hypocrite action? For instance, if an individual decides with all the risk of Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs), goes berserk into indiscriminate sexual relations, ask what is the fellow hope for? The attitude of some African Leaders is doing no good to their various countries' image. They are rather inviting the necessary evil for all the necessary reasons the AU has turned blind eye to.

In recent times most African Leaders have become adept to international public relations with the hard earned currencies of their nations. The President of Equatorial Guinea, Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, having over stayed his welcome tried to institute an annual scientific award scheme in conjunction with the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), worth 3million USDs. This was to keep fresh his old dynastic rule refreshed in the eyes of the members of the international community. But many level headed cosmopolitan citizens have risen against it. The prayer is for such wonderful individuals to stick to their stands not to be swayed by any means to believe in this personal image repairs, instead of the nation. The only image booster he can give to himself is to abdicate the presidential palace. Someone should tell Mr. Obiang, when water stays in a container for long it stinks. The odor of the fact is that, he is helping

the son, the current Minister for Agriculture, Teodoro, to lace his boots to succeed him. This is a man who with the help of Moroccans soldiers over threw his Uncle. It is a matter of time, the reason that, dissent is cruelly put down, while the AU is also blind, lame and tamed with a self inflicted law of no interference in the internal affairs of member countries would be dealt with by NATO. Remember NATO is not bound to this rule.

Another stinker is seated comfortably in East Africa, Uganda's Yoweri Museveni. A personality who it will be said employed deception to ascend to power. Mr. Museveni was a chief guerrilla against Idi Amin for several years, and upon attaining the reins of power he promised not to keep himself there for long. But you will be amazed how he has prolonged his steps on the corridors of the presidential palace. Except the rats, mice and perhaps those of his household whose desire not to taste political power are not in his Adamic old government. Is this democracy, or it is an African version of democracy, then no qualms? In all these instances the AU has no idea of what is happening around. The ruthlessness with which the Western guns blurred at Colonel Muammar Gaddafi without any recognition of any continental body should be a deterrent well served to these power thirsty and glutton leaders of Africa. Yoweri Museveni's government and its kind are just

rusty. When will he and his cronies vacate the presidential villas? Is there no life after active politics? Or there is nowhere to die than the presidency.

Similarly, Civil Servants also keep themselves in office without giving in to the younger generation by amending their birth dates. How different is it from our Adam presidents who are power hangers on? Give retirement a chance. The back log of graduate unemployment emanate from these grandparents who have refused to allow nature to take its cause.

In spite of the above, James Ibori the former Delta State Governor of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, who until currently strolled out of Nigerian court with pride, has his tail between his legs involving a case of money laundering to the United Kingdom (UK). Mr. Ibori, the embattled former Governor is pleading guilty to the same crime he escaped in his home country, where he was once considered part of a group which christened themselves as kingmakers of Nigeria. How come the laws of Nigeria could not arrest him or the law is firmly under him? You might have heard, no one is above the law, but it has to be the laws of UK that has such a strong and impenetrable apprehension power to deal with a national armed robber with prestige, such as Ibori. Hence, it has to be the UK court which can pursue justice for the people of Nigeria. Consider it that, the British MI6 has invaded the Federal Republic of Nigeria to deal with corrupt officials. Would it be

justified? Because, the holes and windows of opportunity in the laws of this West African nation is so large that, a corrupt politician with a large sum of 250 million USDs could slip through. It will be justified for the UK court to act in the stead of Nigerian judiciary. Indirectly, Nigeria is calling on foreign courts to discipline their politicians who fall foul of their laws. How can the UK court be faulted in the future?

Besides, the trials of the Former Presidents of Liberia and Cote d'lvoire, Charles Taylor and Laurent Gbagbo at the International Criminal Court in The Hague, The Netherlands these are all indictment on the African Union. Is the African indeed capable of managing her own affairs, as Dr. Nkrumah echoed years ago? A continent that cannot deal with her nuisance citizens unless others do so on her behalf could not stand sure to talk of partnership and not master-servant relations in every engagement? The indiscipline on the continent, which is supervised by the African Union, will always invite the necessary evil NATO. Couldn't the AU try these Former Presidents for whatever crime committed? Should the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) raise her guns at an African country tomorrow where will the morale emerge from and how justified will you be?

It can go on and on outlining the spots on the continent where the citizens are seriously having a brush up with real tyrannies. But the amazing scenario is how the AU has succeeded in ignoring these despotic leaders on the continent. Another nightmare is persisting at Angola. This has to do with, Mr. Jose Eduardo Dos Santos, years after the end of one of Africa's longest conflicts, he still organises elections in a skewed manner which has kept him in power. Mr. Dos Santos has ruled the Southern African country for more than three decades, not forgetting that, UNITA is no more. Africa needs to stick to the true spirit and letter of rule of law. It looks so ugly. When is he also going?

Cameroon also has their fair share in this unfortunate leadership misfortune in Paul Biya. He has succeeded in massaging the constitution to allow him contest for the state house as long as he wish. Is Paul Biya the only wise man in Cameroon? Again, is the AU not aware of this development? What improvement has he brought in to the lives of Cameroonians? The worse of it is dissents are silenced brutally. Again, Paul Biya cannot be sued for any crime(s) that he commits while in office or out. This is a true “GoD” on earth, but what else can he be compared to? What about Blasé Compare of Burkina Faso? Forgive me, but it is a fact that, a thief finds nothing wrong with stealing. The African Union shares in this philosophy, hence, how does one expect a frown on it? It is despicable, that a people can be tied down under a leader willy-nilly. Better NATO will surely come, the necessary evil.

Why ask that much of the AU, for the reason that, all these despotic leaders make up the organisation and the Chairmanship is rotated among them. Oh! What a continent.

Patrick Twumasi
(0209045931)atricktwumasi@yahoo.com>

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