Tuesday, February 2, 2010

The African Union's new chairman

In an attempt to stay somewhat current with what's going on in Africa (not just Naija) I try to visit allAfrica.com frequently. Of course there's the stuff about Nigeria's ever-absent president, Yar'Adua, and the militants attacking greedy oil companies in Nigeria's delta region.
But today I read a story about the election of a new chairman to the African Union yesterday. Bingu wa Mutharika, president of Malawi, is in. Muammar Gaddafi, Libyan president, is out. From what I was reading, it seemed like Gaddafi was quite upset for losing his seat. And that he's scheming a whole bunch of other summits to gain a name for himself.

As for the African Union itself, aside from numerous conferences and reports, I don't really know what they "tangibly" do. In any case, in the midst of Gaddafi's sulking about his loss, calling himself Africa's "king of kings," Bingu wa Mutharika said something that caught my attention:

"Let us reflect that Europe and the much of the Western world developed using wood, meat and fish from Africa, but Europe and the Western world did not develop through resolutions, and declarations. They took action - concrete action. So I appeal to you for action, action and more action."
-Bingu wa Mutharika, president of Malawi

Those are some great words.To me, when it really comes down to it, it's about doing, not talking. I like how he acknowledged what Europe did to Africa without desiring to linger in a helpless victim state. Action! I'm big on that. I really hope and pray that this man actually plans on standing by his word and not letting them be mere sound waves bouncing off the air and falling, forgotten, to the ground.

2 comments:

  1. I so agree with you. Taking action is the way. I wish we Nigerians would stop playing the victim and collectively say 'no' to bad government.

    ReplyDelete