No Trifling Matter: Contributions of an Uncompromising Critic to the Democratic Process in Cameroon

28 The Does of Africa

85 2 28 The Does of Africa (Published October 24-31, 1991) Remember Samuel Doe? Yes, Master Sergeant Doe! He was a Master Sergeant when he felt the call to save his people from tyrannous dictatorship. It is quite probable that, at that point in its historical time, Liberia really needed a messiah. Doe answered the call to messiah-ship. However, when the task of deliverance was accomplished, he no longer felt like quitting. He forgot the example of the prototype of all messiahs, Jesus Christ, whose messiah-ship lasted only three years and then he simply ascended into heaven, in spite of the noisy protests of his apostles, disciples, fans and supporters. Samuel Doe slowly transformed himself into an intolerable yoke for Liberia, much worse than that from which he had “saved” them. He held tenaciously to power, in spite of numerous opportunities for a graceful exit. Only death could separate him from his beloved spouse - power. The combined forces of Johnson and Taylor ensured that separation in a most gruesome manner. But, at what cost to Liberians? Hundreds of deaths, displacement, destruction, starvation, disorganisation, etc. etc. There are many Does in Africa; tragic heroes, whose fatal fault is simply not knowing when to quit the stage of this marvellous thing called power, which tends to corrupt and corrupts absolutely when wielded absolutely. There is a legion of African Does. Quite curiously, they include the leaders of all French former colonies and trust territories. One simple way to recognize this is to take a look at the currency used in the particular territory. If the indomitable face of an incumbent Head of State stares at you from the currency, don’t waste your time looking for further evidence. The fellow is undoubtedly a Doe. It really beats me why anybody should imagine that his austere face is necessary on every currency note minted for his country. I strongly suspect that this silly practice is one reason why these fellows 86 invariably consider the national territory as their private property. For as long as this practice persists, for that long shall we be sure that the Does are still with us. All African Does are equal but some are evidently equaller than others. If we were to compose a litany of the frontline Does, Africa’s sittight dictators, it would run something like this: Houphouet Boigny, have mercy on your people and quit. Eyadema, have mercy on your people and quit. Sese Seko Mobutu, have mercy on your people and quit. Paul Biya, have mercy on your people and quit. Omar Bongo, have mercy on your people and quit. Abdou Diouf, have mercy on your people and quit. J. J Rawlings, have mercy on Ghanaians and quit. Arap Moi, have mercy on Kenyans and quit, etc. In this satanic litany, Daniel Arap Moi of Kenya deserves special mention. Arap Moi is an intolerable dictator who evidently has no intention of ever quitting power while the slightest breath remains in him. He doesn’t even pretend democracy at the rhetorical level as the others do. He has consistently declared that all is well in Kenya, that Kenyans are as happy as Adam and Eve in Paradise before the Fall and that they do not therefore need multi-partyism, which would usher in tribalism, nepotism, disunity, instability and general confusion. Beneath the rhetoric, however, the sordid reality is that of secret murders, disappearances, proscriptions, obstructions, banning, coercion, intimidations etc. Would you believe the fact that the world’s famous scholar, Professor Ali Mazrui, who is a Kenyan, was recently prevented, just like Mungo Beti in Yaounde, from giving a lecture in his home town, Mombassa, after he had read the same lecture, more than four times in Nigeria and elsewhere? Mazrui’s remarkable 12-hour movie “The Africans” has been serialized in many countries all over the world, including all African countries except racist South Africa and Kenya. The sin of this prophet who has so far gone without honour in his home country, is simply that he has consistently called on Kenya, which was in the forefront of the liberation struggle against colonial rule, to assume a comparable vanguard position in the new liberation struggle for indigenous democracy. 87 There is something very instructive about the Kenyan situation and this concerns the erstwhile colonial master, Britain. Like the USA, Britain prides itself in being a champion of Liberalism and...