…as Africa Clocks 50
…as Africa Clocks 50
By
Telesphore Mbabizo
Africa’s independence is clocking 50 in 2010. The situation of women and culture is witnessing mixed fortunes. 17 countries are concerned. Most of them are French-speaking. Cameroon kind of portrays two issues which affect Africa at large. On the one hand, there are the evils that mar the fate of the woman folk. On the other hand, there is the good news about culture being earmarked to kick start the country’s 50th anniversary.
Positions of Sovereignty Are Sex-Oriented
Cameroon is the leading economy in Central Africa. Women hold many positions in a respectable percentage. They represent more than 10% as ministers, general managers and senior state workers. However, a woman has never been appointed minister of Defence, Finance, Territorial Administration (Home Office). None is Governor of any region or senior divisional officer. The positions of sovereignty, as they are called, are still exclusive to men. This has been a long-time cry for women in Cameroon. They have hardly been out for mathematical equality with men. The national request has to do with providing citizens equal opportunity regardless of their sex.
Exceptional Senegal
As such, Cameroon in particular and Central Africa as a whole have lessons to learn (in promoting women) from West Africa. The best teacher there, as of now, is Senegal. A woman was appointed Prime minister during phase 1 of the Wade administration. It is the highest female position held in French-speaking Africa. No doubt, democracy has been effective in the country even before the departure Léopold Sédar Senghor in the early eighties. So, much can be expected from two other countries in the said sub regions as concerns women’s advancement. Mali and Benin are the nations that are also short-listed.
As France as French-Speaking Africa
Most of the other French-speaking countries are a sad case. They are said to be closer to France. It is a country where a woman was recently defeated on her way to Elysée. Female presidential candidate Ségolène Royale suffered a severe loss. Yet, her opponent is highly controversial. Nicolas Sarkozy’s right wing views and non-French origins account for his unpopularity at times. To many, the way to French presidency was already paved for Royale. This failed to happen. The wrongs done in France are, therefore, replicated in French-speaking Africa. Scholars have it that these countries share a counter-legacy. It is the “direct rule” colonial system. In other words, Paris is still having a say in African affairs. As such, France is involved in the Ivorian crisis. It has been dragging on and on. The son of Omar Bongo Ondimba of blessed memory was in the good books of France during the recent controversial presidential election. And Ali Bongo made it. The situation was the same some years back in Togo. Faure Gnassingbé is in power. French media sided with Algeria during the 2010 World Cup qualifiers against the Egyptian squad. Cases of France’s obvious involvement in former colonies abound.
The Blame on French-Speaking Africa
However, the problem is not France per se. The sorrow of (French-speaking) Africa is the continent herself. French-speaking Africa has rather developed a dependency syndrome over the years. South-South cooperation is just a paper tiger. The Francophone and Anglophone divide is still to bridge. The-have outnumbers the-have-not. Free and fair elections are a burden over elites. These highly poor and indebted countries extend their hand to France for survival.
A Unprecedented Breakthrough in Cameroon
Within the chaos, something happened in Cameroon on 1st January 2010. Cameroon’s presidency disbursed funds for a giant concert in Yaoundé. Artistes were invited to sing in commemoration of the 50th independence anniversary. For the first time even, culture was given prominence. The show turned into a joyful confrontation between those who actually lived the experience of 1st January 1960 and promising musicians. In the end, the old hands carried the day out of dexterity. Their contents mesmerized the above 8 thousands onlookers. Anne-Marie Nzie, Cameroon’s replication of East Africa’s Bikidude, sang “Liberté” meaning freedom. The song celebrates new-born baby state Cameroon and bids farewell to France and the United Kingdom. André-Marie Talla offered “Je vais à Yaoundé”. I am going to Yaoundé. It is a call for all Cameroonians to congregate in the capital city, join hands and work extra hard to maintain the new state alive.
The Way-Forward
Government’s option to bring culture on centre-stage has to bear some meaning. Politics has failed to secure a genuine identity to the country. Sport and culture are achieving this. Therefore, new priorities have to be set. The new decade has already started on a good footing. Cameroon can boost of having set up a special fund for culture worth some US 235,294.11 per year.
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I think, and I hope I’m not speaking for myself alone, that after decades of reading articles with the broad theme of what is Africa’s problem, or why is Africa poor, we are all ready for articles and papers that suggest a way out of our problems. Articles from thinking and intelligent Africans and Africa’s friends which tell us that yes it is possible for us to think and work our way out of our poverty and disadvantaged position in the world.
Another thought occurred to me. I also wondered who decided Africa is 50 years old? What Africa is being referred to? A colonial vision of this huge continent that deemed it Africa with all the boundaries that we now have?
On the plus side, until I read this article, I had no idea that there is some presumed date when Africa was born and there have been celebrations for it. I don’t think I was alone in my ignorance and while I may have doubts about the ‘age’ of Africa, still anything that tries to bring some happiness or celebratory mood to show that there is a good side to Africa is always welcome in my book.