Slide 1

The Stolen Dreams of Africa

MBONG’S MEMOIRS

Dad didn’t quite swear but most things French took exception.

Ironically, dad lived most of his adult life in Douala. Mind you, if the french policy of assimilation was effective in one city in Africa, that would be Douala. There, everyone lived to go to Paris, you had simply not arrived if you hadn’t been. Infact, the adults in my teenage world had found no better way to impress than to dish out the phrase ‘quand j’étais à Paris’ Like every other young person in Douala, this eventually got to me.

But within the confines of my father’s house, there was no better way to provoke dad’s rage, which I managed to ignite from time to time, with the line ‘Oh Paris, la ville de mes rêves!!!

It was hard not to love Paris in a city where the ultimate measure of success was eloquently captured in one’s experiences and adventures in the city of love. And this was regardless of whether the experience of the storyteller was a good or a bad one. And for a long time, it really didn’t matter what dad said, it was clear that if and when I arrived, a weekend in Paris would be my ultimate proof.

And as the years went by, I sought to understand why dad had such a refined disliking for everything French, when he was so eloquent in the language. I never got to pose the question to dad directly but my theory was that dad lived to compare his experiences with the Brits and his experience with the French, which might have been like day and night. Dad and I did not disagree much on philosophical terms back then. Paris would probably have been our only true dichotomy. And I constantly wondered why he chose to settle in Douala, and spoke such fine French yet found it totally impossible to say French without qualifying it.

In his hay days, dad worked with Elf – French oil and gas petroleum company. And I wondered if the experiences there were so unpleasant that it shaped his perceptions about the French for the worst. 

Dad also had a stint with several British business operations in Douala back in the days. I imagined that as an employee with the Brits, dad felt respected, supported and given all the support he needed to be the best he could be, to achieve for himself and learn to grow to his best self. He actually had a few diplomas (such as City and Guilds in Warehousing and Storage) from his oversea long distant studies with a few British institutions.

Could it be that dad’s experiences in the hands of the British and the French had shaped his perception, his views and love or dislike for these colonial masters for the rest of his life? Was he shocked by the arrogance, the approach to building dependency and the  constant reminder that you are nothing without us in the hands of his French employers?

Today, I try to understand dad’s pain from the perspective of Africa. As I try to seek understanding, I have spent most of my adult life regularly making comparisons between the French and English – whom dad absolutely adored.

I have had a fair share of my travels in Africa, and at every stop, it always feels like something is seriously wrong with French former colonies. Even their golden child Senegal, limps every now and then.

And it has become glaring for all to see that most of the former British colonies are beginning to be masters of their own destiny, most of them are starting to soar. From Kenya, to Ghana, to Nigeria, to name a few, these countries are not seeking to be a replica of the UK but they are setting their own priorities and taking their future in their own hands in small or big ways.

And to the sharp contrast, most francophone countries are still trapped in a web of dependence, in the chains of a master who needs to define a currency for them and direct most of their affairs, such that most of these countries live in the shadow of themselves.

But it gets even more interesting, a few former French colonies like Mauritius or Rwanda which was colonised by Belgium – a close cousin of France, with a similar francosaxon colonial policy – have reinvented themselves, almost abandoned their francosaxon past, taken up a more anglosaxon outlook to emerge to their full potential. 

It is now sixty years since most countries in Africa acquired independence. It is therefore a no brainer that Africa cannot continue to blame its woes on the French or any former colonizer for that matter. We have seen countries like Rwanda, completely reinvented themselves, an indication that when there’s political will, it is possible. 

Was dads bitterness justified? Can we honestly blame any country in the  world for the woes of Africa’s failed states 60 years after independence?

The truth is, dad lived most of his adult life in a context in which colonial deals were still in place, some of these deals shaped the kinds of jobs he could get, the way state resources were managed, the investment trajectories the country took and opportunities borne from  those that a man like him will be exposed too. Dad’s frustration might have been justified. It may add drive the ultimate message home if you mention fact that he worked for a long time with American Gulf Oil which could have given him better leverage to compare the former colonial masters – Britain & France ??

A recent visit home gave me so much hope, it gave me a totally different perspective and reassured me that I must stay grounded in my position that I am not to inherit dad’s pain,or dad’s frustrations towards France and its legacy in Africa.  Because my generation has an opportunity to define its own destiny. 

This experience throws a bit more light.

I was in a taxi in Douala in 2017, and after almost an hour’s drive I made the observation that I had not seen a single Total petrol station. My driver’s response was the most intriguing ever “Les contract colonial on expirer ma soeur, le Cameroun est ouverte pour toute personne qui veut faire affaire”. He talked about how those contracts that were signed at independence have now expired and anyone who is willing to do business is welcome in any sector.  The fact is, most colonial deals signed for 50 or so years in the 1960s -when most African states achieved independence –  expired after 2010. 

The question is what did we do after those contracts expired?

The world is a jungle, the strong feed on the weak and if you ain’t strong, you must at least seek to be wise. Inward looking countries have devised all kinds of survival and growth mechanisms for themselves. No one will undermine their national interest for your own!!! If you sell out your country, your people, your culture and your resources to the French, Russians, Chinese or any other foreign interest for that matter, they would have you for dinner.

Most of Africa’s failed states lack political will, governance structures and are too far buried in corruption to take meaningful steps that will set them on a right path. There’s evidence across the continent, that African countries have an opportunity more than ever before to break free from the chains of colonialism, to set their own priorities and to put the interest of their people above all else. What is stopping our failed states in Africa? Should we continue to blame the French for our own naivety? I simply can’t!!!

Earlier this month, Senegal renewed its fishery agreement with the EU. This deal allows EU countries to take out as much fish from Senegalese waters as they will. Most Senegalese communities depend on fisheries resources for their livelihoods. The scarcity of fish for artisanal fishermen who lack the sophisticated equipment to carry out fishing in the high seas means that communities’ livelihoods are in danger. In despair, thousands and thousands of young Senegalese try to make the trip to Europe in search of what they think will be greener pastures. Ironically, they are rejected and sent back home. They are denied entry to the countries in Europe and Asia where all their fish is taken to.

Can we honestly blame Europe for such stupidity on our part? Absolutely not!!!

As an African, I know my ultimate goal has to be in contributing in making Africa great. My success has to be rooted in Africa. In fact my success should and must be rooted in my contributions towards making my country and this continent great. We must capitalize on the beacon of home that countries like Rwanda have lit, in order to reverse our lot. We must begin to truly put our people first.

And when we become great as a continent, when we start to put our people first, when we start entering into contracts that protect our people above every other interest, when we start really investing in making Africa great, it shouldn’t matter where we choose to vacate, have fun and live a little. And I am simply not prepared to continue the blame game when we have a choice to emerge or prolong a self inflicted agony to remain trapped in colonial chains.

So let’s be clear, when I arrive, I will be sipping on some moet de chandon in a high end French restaurant and enjoying freshly baked croissants for breakfast. And living that twisted childish dream weekend.  And when that weekend is over, I will come back to tell you with a cheeky smile on my face ‘quand j’etais a Paris’. Because dad’s pain, dad’s bitterness, his frustration was justified, the pain of my generation is simply not!!! 

We have an opportunity, we have all we need to make Africa great, and this surely has to be a reality in our time..!!!

Happy 71st birthday with the angels dad, I am glad to inform you that my generation has an opportunity to turn things around for the better.

God help us,

Your daughter,

Mbong