African Bourgeois Hypocrites

An excerpt from Colonialism and the Two Publics in Africa: A Theoretical Statement by Peter P. Ekeh

A piece that was written in Jan 1975, but is still so relevant today!

African Bourgeois Ideologies of Legitimation

The colonial ideologies have had a major impact on Africans. The absence
of a strong traditional ethos, for instance in the form of a pan-African
religion, made Africans easy targets of these ideologies. But there was
considerable variation in the spread of their effects on Africans. The
Western educated African was a greater victim of their intensity than the
non-literate African. The acceptance of the colonial ideologies in many
ways led to the creation by the African bourgeois class of its own ideologies.
The purpose behind the colonial ideologies, wrought by colonial
administrators and missionaries, was to legitimate an alien domination
of Africans; African bourgeois ideologies were formed to achieve two
interrelated goals. First, they were intended to serve as weapons to be
used by the African bourgeois class for replacing the colonial rulers;
second, they were intended to serve as mechanisms for legitimating their
hold on their own people. Both types of ideologies were largely directed
at the African masses. However, in terms of timing, the first set was used
during colonialism and was an attack on alien rulers. I shall call this set
anti-colonial ideologies. The second set of ideologies is more directly
related to the issue of legitimation and is involved in post-colonial politics
in Africa. Its appearance coincided with the departure of the alien colonial
rulers. I shall call these post-colonial ideologies of legitimation.

(1) Anti-colonial Ideologies. What I call anti-colonial ideologies here
refer to the interest-begotten reasons and strategies of the Western
educated African bourgeoisie who sought to replace the colonial rulers.
Anti-colonialism did not in fact mean opposition to the perceived ideals and principles of Western institutions. On the contrary, a great deal of anti-colonialism was predicated on the manifest acceptance of these ideals and principles, accompanied by the insistence that conformity with them indicated a level of achievement that ought to earn the new educated
Africans the right to the leadership of their country. Ultimately, the source
of legitimacy for the new African leadership has become alien. Anticolonialism
was against alien colonial personnel but glaringly pro foreign
ideals and principles.

African high standards. In every post-colonial African nation, Western
educated Africans, that is the African bourgeoisie, have bent over backwards
to show that their standards of education and administration are
as good as those of their former colonizers. The point of reference in such
demonstrations is to prove that they are the 'equals', but never the
betters, of their former rulers. At least if they judge their standards of
education and administration not to be as high as those prevailing in the
capitals of the former colonizing nations, they rue the fact of their 'low'
standards and make attempts to raise them. Nowhere does one come across
the statement that the prevailing standards, say, in England are not high
enough or too high for the problems in, say, Nigeria. These 'high'
standards are invariably defined in terms of the prevailing, that is ordinary,
standards in the former colonizing nations.

This ideology of African high standards had its origin in the fight for
independence. Most African, leaders in the fight for independence boasted
to their followers that they were as qualified as the English or the French
colonizers; that their rule could be as 'democratic' as that in England or
France; that Africans could attain as high a degree of efficiency in
bureaucracy as that in Britain or France, etc. In his manner of speaking
the English language and of pronouncing English words, the Nigerian
'been-to',7 for instance, wants to demonstrate to the common man that
he is as good as an Englishman in the use of the English language.
There is logic to these over-zealous attempts by the African bourgeois
class to prove the equal, but never the better, of the former colonizers.
They are a message addressed to the masses that educated Africans have
attained the level of the colonizers and therefore can replace them permanently.
It is not required to prove oneself the better of the former
colonizers to do so, since their behaviors represented the very best in the
view of Africans.

Anyone who has studied in a leading university-at Berkeley, Harvard,
or Oxford-will have noticed that very little is ever said about high
standards. It is the less distinguished institutions that want to appear to
be as good as Berkeley, Stanford, or the Sorbonne. The same is true of
the African bourgeois class. In many ways they are at a considerable
disadvantage in attempting to do things as Englishmen in what Englishmen
do best: speaking the English language. To take the example of the
most successful non-Westerners in history, the Japanese do not strive to
speak English or French as well as an Englishman and an American or as
a Frenchman. They see themselves as different from them. The African
bourgeois, born out of the colonial experience, is very uncomfortable with
the idea of being different from his former colonizers in matters regarding
education, administration, or technology. One suspects that he is unconsciously
afraid that he may not be qualified to be an effective replacer
of the former colonizers. If he does reject an English model, he wants
to take an American model; but the point is still that he wants to validate
his replacement of the colonizers by accepting the standards of the
Americans who were after all potential colonizers in Africa.

The African Union Encourages the International Community to Focus on Neglected Crises

Today President Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania and AU Chairman, qualmed my fears about Mbeki's resignation affecting Zimbabwe's power sharing deal. During his speech at the UN General Assembly, he assured the international community that the AU is dedicated to the restabilization of Zimbabwe and would work towards that goal in addition to the challenges faced in other parts of Africa, such as the Democratic Republic of Congo. He also used his time as a platform to advocate for the complete deployment of UN peacekeepers in Sudan and that UN forces relieve the "overstretched" African forces in Somalia- a conflict that has been virtually ignored by the western community and admittedly this blog (this will soon change).

Will Mbeki's Forced Resignation Delegitimize Zimbabwe's Power Sharing Deal?

This weekend, Thabo Mbeki of South Africa was forced to resign amid charges that he interfered in rival, Jacob Zuma's corruption case. Besides the implications of this change in administration for South Africa, I can't help but wonder how this event will affect the Power Sharing Deal recently signed in Zimbabwe and brokered by Mbeki, an avid supporter of President Mugabe. The ANC has stated that Mbeki will be given the chance to continue operating as a mediator in Zimbabwe, but I can't help but wonder how Zimbabweans especially members of the opposition party will welcome his participation.


For the most part, criticism surrounding the deal has been largely pessimistic. And just days after the agreement was signed, there were reports that both parties were unsatisfied with the terms of the agreement and desired more substantial power. The MDC spokesperson even referred to the deal as a "false marriage". This is a clear indication of the need for more talks and resolutions, however with Mbeki facing his own slew of domestic issues, is he in the position to continue to mediate negotiations? And if so, will he have an even greater personal interest in the outcome of the negotiations on the brink of his demotion?

One cannot help but wonder how long this vision will last....

Malawi: A Champion Against HIV/AIDS!

In 2004, Malawi began offering free antiretroviral therapy to thousands of patients in order to decrease the spread of HIV/AIDS. At the time, HIV/AIDS accounted for 58% of deaths of people aged 15-59. Today, of the 159,111 people receiving the drugs, 106,547 are still alive- representing a 67% survival rating and 75% national decrease of AIDS related deaths, overall.

A Girl's Best Friend

Hmmm, maybe I should move to Lesotho! Miners have discovered the largest polished diamond- weighing 478 carats! It could be worth tens of millions of dollars and was discovered in the Letseng mine. Unfortunately, Lesotho only owns 30% of the company that found it...

Operation Rudi Nyumbani Community Disdain is Brewing

I have been following the developments of Operation Rudi Nyumbani and have not been comfortable with the policy nor the way it has been implemented. Unfortunately, my worry was not in vain.
The closure of camps has been delayed because there is a great deal of confusion over who should receive compensation in order to return home and some citizens feel that conditions in their land of origin are not secure enough for them to return home and some even have no where to return. Though in the BBC report, the district commissioner of the Rift Valley has cast aside many of the complaints as false reports from opportunists, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) reports that 60% of the families are returning home to severely damaged homes and villages, that need to be restored before citizens can live safe and comfortably.
There is a clear need for Kenyan community officials to objectively assess and remedy this situation lest they face disgruntled and slighted citizens.

Power Sharing Deal Reached in Zimbabwe

Today, the new leaders of Zimbabwe announced the details of the power sharing deal reached on Friday. President Mbeki mediated the negotiations which maintains Robert Mugabe's seat as President and establishes opposition leaders, Morgan Tsvangirai as Prime Minister and Arthur Mutambara, who heads a breakaway faction of the MDC, Deputy Prime Minister
Though the full details of the deal have yet to be disclosed, President Mugabe will remain head of state, the cabinet, and the armed services. Prime Minister Tsvangirai will head the council of ministers and the police.



This is most definitely a step in the right direction and I can't wait to see how Zimbabweans as well as the international community will react. Mugabe largely criticized the UK for their interference in the political conflict by imposing sanctions and ZANU-PF and MDC supporters did not seem to mirror the reconciliatory spirit of Mugabe and Tsvangirai and clashed outside the conference center where the event took place. I hope that these are not signs that this showcase of cooperation is not truly genuine. Zimbabwe has a plethora of rebuilding to do and cannot achieve success without the strength of cooperation.

Let American Apparel Show You How to Dress Like an Afrikan

American Apparel has a line of clothing available in four "Afrikan print" styles.
I've never seen this in Africa or worn by Afrikaans (since they so tactfully used a "k" instead of "c").

Unsurprisingly, there's lots and lots of zebra prints... What a mess!

US Aid to Africa is Not Interest Free

This article by Andrew Natsios contends that soon to be former President George W. Bush's approval rating in Africa is so high because of humanitarian and economic aid he directed into the country. Despite the extreme political tension that pervades globally and especially in the Middle East and Central Asia, Bush has left a long lasting legacy in Africa that the author contends is due to his overwhelming generosity and the numerous campaigns he has launched to provide social services and spur economic growth on the continent.
However, upon news that the US plans to give $1 BILLION in aid to Georgia in the midst of a highly politicized and violent conflict with Russia, the allocation of $5 billion in aid to the whole continent of Africa, somehow dwarfs in comparison.
African countries have always viewed the US in a positive light. And President Bush has made it a point to publicly esteem African leaders who he had a vested interest in, in order to maintain positive and friendly diplomatic relations. President Mugabe and Bush have had a quite volatile relationship, but that was due to Mugabe's public outing of Bush as a dictator and exploiter in his own right.
I would argue that many citizens who "appreciate" Bush's efforts are unaware of the economic capacity of the US and would probably be insulted by the level of aid handouts from developed countries thus far, if they were aware of how much money was spent on the occupation of Iraq and what was just pledged to Georgia for their reconstruction over two years.
A country like Liberia, which was ravaged by civil war almost a decade ago is still lacking in basic infrastructure. Running water, consistent electricity, fully paved roads are still largely absent in the capital city of Monrovia. I use Liberia as an example, not because of the brutal civil war that the country suffered from, or even the fact that though their governance has dramatically strengthened- basic services are still not fully available, but because the US founded the country! The US can't even offer adequate support to a former colony, but within a heartbeat will pledge to aid in the complete restoration of a political ally.
So you see, the US hasnt done anything that it can't do or shouldnt have done- for that matter- for Africa, but the little it has done has made Africans grateful. So, unlike Mr. Natsios, I wouldn't confuse thanks with adoration for President Bush, but for all of America. Because as much and for how long foreigners have exploited and continue to exploit Africans, minimal acts of kind are a welcomed relief. And Im sure you'll find the same level of appreciation expressed towards Bush as it would be towards an everyday humanitarian aid worker. And I guarantee that regardless of the amount of humanitarian aid allocated by the next administration, there will be a mutual level of respect and gratitude for any assistance that is offered.
And more importantly, as much as America is now doing for Africa, let's not forget what Africa has and continues to do for America. Putting the obvious implications of slavery and colonization aside, today the US is faced with a serious shortage of oil and the favorability of Nigeria and other oil producing African nations have increasingly become more valuable. Also, the never ending war on terrorism has increased the number of US funded democracy initiatives, in an effort to prevent Al Queda from using Africa as a breeding ground and hub for global attacks.
Ultimately, though a great deal of the US' aid to Africa is genuine, we cannot ignore the increasing value that Africa has on US interest, nor the fact that US contributions are only a smidgen of its true capabilities.
But with all of this being said... I'm rebutting a claim from a man that doesnt even believe that Africans know how to tell time... so of course he would overlook the political and economic implications of US aid to Africa. As far as he's concerned, they'd be hopeless without it...

Transparency Is the Theme of the Week!

President Koroma of Sierra Leone has declared his assets to the country's Anti-Corruption Commission. I find this news encouraging not only because of my extended critic of King Mswati of Swaziland, but because President Koroma ran on an anti-corruption platform and this is his first effort to prove it wasn't all talk. Hopefully he can be a pivotal leader in the quest to rid African countries of such a pervasive level of corruption on a micro and macro level.

Obama Believes in Transparency and So Does Africa!

The other day I told you about a group who was exploiting Obama's campaign in order to raise unauthorized funds. Well, I'm happy to report that the anti-graft investigators in the country have seized the money and will return it to those who attended the event. They recovered $630,000 but would not press charges against the event organizers, because no national laws had been broken.

But in an effort to stay positive... Yes We Can!