"'TIL DEATH DO US PART"

“The evil that men do, lives after them,
The good is oft interred with their bones.”

It is my belief that when Africa fought to gain its independence from the Western nations, it seemed we signed up whatever agreements there were to sign, without reading the small print. Either that or we signed a completely different Declaration of Independence document all together.

We complained about the Western powers living in our countries for long periods of time, mismanaging our resources and treating the locals like slaves. Well, I’ll be damned if history isn’t repeating itself. Only, this time, it’s African leaders mismanaging those resources and ill-treating their own people.

Take the case of Zimbabwe for example. Unless Robert Mugabe’s blind, it’s pretty clear the Zimbabwean people don’t want him as their leader as he has run the country into a ditch, better-still, the ocean close by. And that is just an obvious case-study. There are still, many more leaders like him, in Africa, whose greed and hunger for power renders them blind to all the goings-on in their countries or makes them carefree.

Another, worthy of mention is the Cameroonian leader, Paul Biya who recently succeeded to get the Constitution changed, to give himself another term of office, seven more years in power, after being in power since 1982. Today, we are in 2008 and he wants another seven years. What has he got to show for the past 25+ years he’s already oppressed his people? Corruption, embezzlement, high levels of nepotism perhaps? Gee, I wonder!

Don’t get me wrong, they aren’t the only ones to blame. There’s enough blame to go round. The African people aren’t without blame, for quietly sitting and taking in all these. Yes, they may lack the technological facilities to stand up for themselves and fight back, but there are more ways than one to fight back. No one wants bloodshed and there should be none. But at least stand up for yourselves. Make your voice heard, for there is someone else out there who is waiting for another person to show that they too, want change; an ally. Join forces, as it’s clear two heads are often better than one. Yes!

And then, there are the Western nations, that continue to promote and support most of these leaders because of the benefits to them in terms of resources gained. Those who without shame, will support the militaries of these brutal regimes and prevent embargoes and sanctions being imposed due to the fact they don’t want to ruin the beneficial relationships they have with them.

Now, I am no politician, nor do I think I understand them, but I am a human being and not dumb or forgetful enough to know that what goes around will come back right around to bite you in the behind.

In Frederick Douglas‘ speech of July 5, 1852, he said and I quote;

“You live and must die and you must do your work. You have no right to enjoy a child’s share in the labor of your fathers, unless your children are to be blest by your labors. You have no right to wear out and waste the hard-earned fame of your fathers to cover your indolence. Sydney Smith tells us that ‘men seldom eulogize the wisdom and virtues of their fathers, but to excuse some folly or wickedness of their own‘. This truth is not a doubtful one. There are illustrations of it near and remote, ancient and modern. It was fashionable, hundreds of years ago, for the children of Jacob to boast, we have “Abraham to our father,” when they had long lost Abraham’s faith and spirit. That people contented themselves under the shadow of Abraham’s great name while they repudiated the deeds which made his name great.”

That speech was made in 1852 and need I remind you that a similar thing is being done all over the world today?

“The evil that men do, lives after them,
The good is oft interred with their bones.”

Make the good that you do live long after your soul has left its temporary abode. Stand up for what you believe in. You are what you see, but also, you are the change that you want and create.