AFRICA’S DEPENDENT ‘INDEPENDENCE’

Few weeks ago, I came across a troubling publication from a German Newspaper in which empirical, irrefutable evidences surfaced, of the generational exploitation of the AFRICAN continent in Facts & Figures.

Turned out the so-called ‘Independence’ across Africa was nothing but a Sham.

It was the UN General Assembly Resolution 1514 that granted Colonial (colonized) countries & peoples ‘Independence’ from colonial masters. The Resolution was adopted on December 5, 1960. 89 countries voted in favor. None voted against. But France, Australia, United Kingdom, Union of South Africa (Apartheid Regime), Dominican Republic, Portugal, SPAIN, & Belgium all abstained from voting.

Despite abstaining from voting, France allowed its 14 colonies in Africa to claim and celebrate ‘independence.’ But behind the scenes, France secretly signed an agreement known as “Pact for the Continuation of Colonization” with all these countries (its 14 colonies in Africa): Togo West AFRICA, Republic du BENIN, Ivory Coast, Gabon, Cameroon, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Senegal, Mali, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Chad & Niger Republic

By virtue of the so called PACT, these AFRICAN countries are ‘perpetually’ compelled to annually store up 85% of their Foreign Exchange Reserves in Banque de France, Paris - under the strict control of the French Treasury. These countries concerned do not have any form of access to said 85% of their own reserve. It belongs exclusively to France!

But then, it gets even more interesting. Because these countries are left with just 15% of their reserves, which of course will do them no good, they are then compelled to return to the French treasury with their begging troughs, asking to borrow. When France lends to them, it does so at market rates and with interest. Automatically, they start owing France from that moment on, because they keep borrowing and never able to pay up.

This is the story of how AFRICAN nations came to be known as “Debtor Nations”. They are made debtors over their own monies and treasures.

Any new president in these AFRICAN nations who fails to ratify the “Colonization Pact” is either ousted through a coup or simply killed.

Over the past 50 years, there have been 67 coup d’etat in about 26 African countries. 16 of these 26 countries were were former colonies of France.

The first president of Togo, Burkina Faso, BENIN Republic, Central African Republic, Mali, etc. all suffered similar fate for daring to challenge France’s broad daylight robbery of their country’s national treasure.

Subsequently, Presidents are too afraid to put up any resistance, so they just let their nations die and their people perish in poverty as France feeds fat on their resources. These obedient presidents stay on in power for as long as it takes. Eyadema died in power, Omar Bongo died in power. PAUL Biya is still there after about 4 decades and the story is the same across board.

Annually, France robs these AFRICAN nation’s of about 440 billion Euros, cumulatively!

It’s called Colonial Tax, according to France. France said the countries involved must pay it for colonizing them, insisting they (France) built lots of infrastructure in those nations during the colonial days and so they have to pay and keep paying till eternity!

This is just France. But all of them - the colonials, especially those who refused to vote in favor of ending colonization, all of them are the same! Like French colonies in Africa, British colonies like Nigeria, Ghana, etc. face the same fate. What this means for Nigeria is that out of all the trillions of dollars made from Nigeria’s natural resources, only as little as 3% or at most 5% in royalties is what about 200 million people will have to put up with. And you wonder why the 6th largest oil exporter on earth is at the same time the poverty capital of the world. It’s an oxymoron.

At the 74th Session of the UN General Assembly, the Ghanaian President Nana Akufo Addo spoke about the damning report of a panel on the Illicit Flow of Funds from Africa, Chaired by the former president of South Africa, Mr. Thabo Mbeki, which revealed that over US$50 billion gets siphoned out of Africa and unaccounted for, yearly! He charged the world to join hands and help “stop the RAPE of Africa”.

Former French President, Jacques Chirac (now late) said and I quote “Without [France’s exploitation of Africa], France will slide down into the rank of a third [world] power”

The former president of The Gambia, Yahya Jammeh spoke of how his troubles began when he refused to accept 5% in Royalties on Gambia’s Natural Resources from colonizers (through their corporations). According to Jammeh, when he questioned the ridiculously low percentage royalty accorded his country over their own God-given natural resources, he was told that there were only three African countries that received more than 3% royalty on their natural resources. In other words, the 5% he was being offered was the highest offer on the continent and there were no more than three countries that were so privileged. His jaws dropped, and he told them “Not here! You’re in the wrong country”. Shortly after, they got rid of him and got their man in there - someone who would allow them take all and leave nothing behind. With a man like that (the new Gambian President) they can actually ensure he stays in power till his death.

So, where is the Independence? Where is the Freedom? Truth is, there’s none!

Africa is in more chains now than it was then. Africa is more in need of saviors now than it was back then. Africa is nowhere near Freedom. Yet, we have Independence - DEPENDENT INDEPENDENCE.

Hopefully, the generation that sets AFRICA free from this generational entrapment is yours and mine. We’ll keep HOPE alive!

- JOSEPH OKECHUKWU