Prof. George Ayittey: Look Who’s Talking By Rudolf Ogoo Okonkwo
Posted: June 30, 2012 - 01:34

George Ayittey
Columnist:  Correct Me If I Am Right By Rudolf Okonkwo
(In light of Prof. George Ayittey’s criticism of President Goodluck Jonathan, I republish this July 2000 article originally called Africa, Yucky Yucky. I hope it will help readers to get an insight into the views of the Ghanaian intellectual.)

Africa is a continent of many stories. Over the years, Africa's stories have resisted attempts by historians to bring them all together to make sense. They are like tissues that refused to be stitched together. Because Africa's stories do not yet make sense, African plight is always difficult to dissect and diagnose. One of those Africans in the forefront of marshalling out solutions to African numerous maladies is George B. N. Ayittey. Ayittey - a Ghanaian economic professor at American University in Washington who uses his columns in The Wall Street Journals to propound solution to Africa's problems. Some of his solutions are far from being palatable.
 
One of Ayittey's most controversial recommendations is that some African countries should establish what he called "free economic zone" where big businesses would be enticed with tax breaks and waivers on duties. Such countries would in return, give up sovereignty over such territories. For those countries that would not be interested in giving up territory, Ayittey suggested that they should lease out parts of their territories for some years in return for debt forgiveness. What Ayittey wants to see are lots of Hong Kongs in Africa. Nigeria for instance can give up the Sharia States to Microsoft and Coca-Cola. International business interest will then descend on those lands and turn them into an economic miracle. Apparently, it appears that to people like Ayittey, there really is no hope that Africa, left on its own, can crawl out of its predicaments.
 
Ayittey and his likes are only giving intellectual backing to those who are more and more concluding that Africa is once again lost and as such needs another dose of colonization as the only way to bring about 'civilization' to our once again darkening continent. This trend of portraying Africa in a bad light is exploding every other day. The Economist of London recently put Africa on its cover and declared Africa "A Hopeless Continent". And in America, policy makers picture Africa as a case of "wall-to-wall incompetence, disorder and danger." Despite the protest of a few that understands the complexity of the forces acting in Africa, these labels are sticking.
 
Many Africans are beginning to think that probably we chased the Europeans out too early. Some Africans are so disillusioned that they are nostalgic about those days when the Europeans were in absolute control. Africans have joined the rest of the outside world to refer to their homeland as a lost cause. An African man after a recent visit called his homeland "bush" and swore never to step in there again. He had thrown in the towel and turned his back permanently. Other Africans, who still care, do so reluctantly. Some are just waiting for their parents to die off before they finally slam the door on Africa. For the rest, it is a constant prayer that the immigration office will one day let them bring out their loved ones. Once that is accomplished, it is goodbye Africa.
 
Over three decades after most of Africa achieved their political independence, the trials and tribulations of the African have worsened. Why? Why? Why? Who failed Africa? Who lost Africa? Who will save Africa? Who will rescue her? Why is Africa, the motherland, the cradle of civilization, the home of all of humanity in such a huge despair? We know the usual suspects: Colonization, slavery, IMF, the West, AIDS, corruption, 'the Wasted generation', illiteracy, ignorance, ethnicity, religion, drought, flood, famine, Mobutu, Moi, Mugabue, malaria, mad cow disease, Ebola, Eyadema, soldiers, Obasanjo, Gaddafi, Abacha, warlords, witches, water-babies, mermaids, Ogboni and what have you. But what about you and me? Are these impediments insurmountable? Have we tried with all our might? Have we exhausted all our options?
 
It has been suggested that international donors and western nations and their financial institutions should tie aid to African nations to human rights observations and improvements in democratic institutions. Currently, that suggestion is being implemented. Ayittey has taken it a step further. He wants American aid to be tied to the existence of a strong central bank, independent media, courts and security forces. He wants war-torn countries like Sierra Leone taken over by the United Nations. To pay for the cost of running the country, clearing up the mess brought about by warlords and International Diamond businesses backing them, Sierra Leone's diamond deposits would be sold off.
 
Obviously, to the likes of Ayittey, the struggle to save Africa is an emergency situation that requires emergency measures. It is more or less a case of 'by any means necessary'. When one listens to the reports about AIDS and the devastation it causes; one is shaken up. The common phrase is that a generation of Africans is being wiped off the face of the earth. If nothing is done, by the time AIDS finished with Africa, there will not be anyone standing. The warlords will call for war and nobody will come out to carry their AK47. Drought will come and there is nobody to force into relocation. Leaders who are used to driving to the Central Banks and loading millions of dollars into trucks will not have children to give the money for safe keeping. The shadow of death will be all over Africa.
 
What is to be done? Mortgage Africa? For the second time? Are the results out? Did the colonial masters do better than African leaders?
 
The implications of Africa's failure are so unimaginable. The survival of the black race is tied up with the survival of Africa. If Africa shines, the black race shines. But if Africa remains on its knees, so shall all blacks all over the world. No black man will be able to stand tall and raise his head high with all boldness until Africa is on the path to progress. Nothing is as pathetic as seeing that there is no glimmer of hope anywhere in Africa. South Africa, with its comparative advantages is devastated by violence and AIDS. It also has the misfortune of having a president that TIME magazine recently tagged "a dissident."
 
The search for answers is proceeding unabatedly in every direction. The other day, Nigeria's Senate President, Dr. Chuba Okadigbo suggested that Nigeria should abandon the written constitution and adopt the unwritten code of conduct - a kind of indigenous democracy -which means that we may not have heard the last from medicine men and juju priests. In a different suggestion, the Eastern Mandate Union (EMU) abroad has called on Bill Clinton to use the opportunity of their meeting in August to compel President Obasanjo of Nigeria to call a National conference. As more African nations fight their first civil wars, and some prepare for their second, it is becoming clear that National Conferences may be the only way to go. Such a conference is needed in other to set up structures of nationhood and administration to be agreed upon by all nationalities and socio-political forces in these African countries. The exploitation of structural flaws in Africa's present nation-state by the ruling elite has been the bedrock of Africa's problems.
 
The needs of ordinary Kikuyu man eating Ugali in Nairobi or the ordinary Igbo man eating akpu in Sokoto are all the same. They all want a safe continent where there is hope and an opportunity for them to maximize their potentials. In their desperation, they may not care how that is achieved. But they have never forgotten how we got into this mess in the first place. It is therefore the duty of African intellectuals, especially the drive-by types who live outside Africa, to make responsible choices for Africans. In their anger and despair, they should not prescribe a remedy that in the long run will short change Africa and be worse than illness whose cure was being sought. Africa should not be short-changed and undersold. The greatest help will always be the self-help. The danger in assuming that Africa's survival can only be found in the laps of foreigners amount to an acceptance of Africans' inferiority. If the Indians, the Malaysians, the Brazilians, the Mexicans, the Hungarians, the Iranians are digging out rather than selling out, the Africans should have the courage and the decency to hang in there and dig out.
 
Do the likes of Ayittey consider the fact that exchange of flags did not end colonization? As they chunk out solutions the West should implement, did they consider the fact that the West has always been involved and often indicted in African tragedies? They plan the coups, bring up governments and bring down governments. They start wars and end wars. Have the West changed? Where did they find the milk of human kindness to come to Africa just to do good? What did they do with their self-interest that have always overridden their sense of what is right and what is wrong? What makes the likes of Ayittey develop so much trust for the same people who killed Patrice Lumumba?
 
An African-American kid was reported to have been asked by his teacher what he thought about Africa and he responded, "yucky, yucky". The same expression he uses when his mother asks him to taste broccoli or uncooked tomatoes. If we do nothing to rescue Africa ourselves, tomorrow, this African-American kid that will call Africa yucky, yucky, may be yours or mine. As for his children and his children's children, they will read our stories of today and declare our days, the dark ages.
 
Doesn't that possibility make you feel yucky?

http://saharareporters.com/column/prof-george-ayittey-look-who’s-talking-rudolf-ogoo-okonkwo

Nairalanders, lemme first of all apologies for posting such a long article.

When I first read of Prof Ayitey's ranting against Jona last week, my reaction was in turn to rail against him. Having been around the world a bit and studied the history of the black race extensively, I have very little patience for Africans who persist in looking at Africa with the lens borrowed from the white man. Now am seeing the Forbes report on Ghana's economy, stating clearly (which yours sincerely has known for some time now) is not only less managed than Nigeria's, but is intact among the 10 worst economies in the world.

I humbly submit that based on comparative statistics, none of Black Africa is truly out of the woods yet. NONE. Yet instead of banding together to become stronger, some prefer to ride on the back of others to simply gain the white man's acclaim. That was why, 3 years ago, GhanaIans were beating themselves on the chest simply because Obama went there rather than Naija,

Let's join hands, with constructive criticism, to build Africa up. I have criticized this present GEJ administration powerfully even on NL, yet we all including the toughest of critics, must know when to apply wisdom and band together As the black race,

My own two pence.

He's got ideas though some of them bizarre but his recent talk and write ups about Nigeria are spot on.
The only issue is sitting abroad and theorising,makes him look un-serious