There Will Never be World Peace Until Imperialism is Dead: Hands Off Ibrahim Traore.
There is no better time for African Unity than now. On April 2, General Michael Langley, a United States (US) Marine Corps, who became the sixth Commander of United States Command (AFRICOM) was the centre of anger from progressive Africans across the continent for his ill-fated, poorly timed and ironic remarks about the Leader of Burkina Faso, Captain Ibrahim Traore. Michael criticised certain African countries for increased corruption, political instability, and the rise in military coups. In his statement, he mentioned that “West Africa has a complex mix of challenges. The region has recently experienced a wave of military coups, with countries like Burkina Faso, Guinea, Mali, and Niger facing upheaval as military officers ousted elected governments. These disruptions stem from entrenched corruption, slow economic development, weak democratic institutions, and limited strategic patience”.
Interestingly, Michael reportedly believes that African countries should be left to lead in solving their own issues like the fight against terrorism, climate change and crime. Despite his thoughts that the USA should work with African nations in a way that respects their autonomy to pursue their goals and maintain their independence, his criticism of Captain Ibrahim Traore, accusing him of diverting his countries gold reserves for personal interest at the expense of his people has drawn sharp criticism and angst across the continent.
Let’s have a short history lesson on American history based on the theory of someone ignoring the plank in their eye to remove the speck of dust from another man’s eye. If recent history is anything to go by, America lost the right or audacity to lecture anyone on democracy. The United States Capitol in Washington DC was attacked by a mob of supporters of President Donald Trump in an attempted self –coup, two months after his defeat in the 2020 presidential election. They sought to keep him in power by preventing a joint session of congress from counting the Electoral College votes to formalise the victory of the president elect-Joe Biden. Michael’s reference to “a wave of military coups” in the region sounds too rich for a high ranking military official serving in Donald J. Trump’s administration. His attempt to lecture Africans about “entrenched corruption” is basically a faux pas, when you consider the felony 35 felony charges of falsifying business records against his commander in Chief, Donald Trump. By the way, Burkina Faso means “the land of upright people”. That’s the guiding ethos of Sankara and Traore.
One of Traore’s first reforms was to take back control of his country’s rich mineral resources including the gold sector. It is unquestionable to note that Traore’s attempt to decolonise the African mind, he request for African countries to be treated with respect and as equal partners has proved too infectious for the political palates and wallets of the West. With Mali, Niger, Senegal and most recently Namibia taking similar stance to re-jig the relationship between the West and African countries, the usual suspects including USA, the UK and the Chief Franco- phone Culprit France have felt uneasy. With the Sahel countries seeking new partnerships in Russia, China, India and South Africa, the stranglehold on the monopoly has caused a lot of financial ripples for some. Did anyone notice how France’s 2025 austerity budget that led to the resignation of its Prime Minister Michel Barnier coincided with the umbilical whiplash from the Sahel states? With Senegal’s Bassirou D Faye and Namibia’s first Female president Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah (NNN) all making similar waves along their respective political canvasses, it’s easy to see why this African Spring is leaving a bitter taste in the mouths of the usual suspects.
Why is Africa angry with General Michael Langley?
Notwithstanding his surname Langley, a location that evokes the spirit of the CIA that has been credited with coups, assassinations and clandestine political gymnastics on the continent, the memories of African leaders like Patrice Lumumba, Thomas Sankara, Samora Machel, Colonel Gadhafi, as figures of African black consciousness and emancipation has scratched a raw nerve. It is no wonder that, like chickens reacting to the presence of a circling hawk, social media has been awash with a collective resentment of the reminder and the insidiously expressed threats against Traore.
Traore’s unenviable record as “the African leader with the highest number of coups and assassination attempts in the shortest period” since he took power in 2022 has only exercabated the anger towards the perceived, the real and the attempted threats. At this rate, Traore qualifies as an “endangered species and Burkina Faso as a UNESCO Heritage Site. At this rate, the people of Burkina Faso would very much understand if Traore spends a minimum of 25% of his country’s GDP on his security to keep his pulse beating.
So, what is Ibrahim Traore’s crime to attract such evil?
Since taking over in 2022, all his endeavours and visions are pointing towards the emancipation of the African mind. It is about Africa’ self –actualisation, self-respect and its fair share at the table. It is about re-injecting the black consciousness back into the African psyche. It is about breaking the myth of the West’s indispensability to Africa. It’s about independence proper, black consciousness, eat what you grow and grow what you eat, etc. ironically, Donald Trump once described Africa as a shi…..hole. If so, why are you bothered about a Shi…hole? Many see the recent comments as an attempt to prepare the ground for a propaganda war and possible attacks.
A lot of people are convinced that Michael Langley’s comments are serving as a harbinger, an attempt to start the propaganda war that has served them so well during the Arab Spring, the war in Iraq, the killing of Gadhafi and many others. That was when the main stream media was a trusted entity. This time attempt that was foiled on April 16th is testament to seriousness of the situation. What makes this painfully gnawing and gut wrenching was the revelation that “The brains behind the coups outside the country are all located in Ivory coast”, with two former army officers behind the lot.
Why is Africa angry?
For obvious reasons, Ivory Coast is becoming the number enemy of African progress. The role of Ivory Coast (Felix Houphouet –Boigny) in the death of Thomas Sankara, the invasion of Liberia by Charles Taylor and many other clandestine activities qualifies it for puppet of the century. Is it time for African countries to ostracize and consider boycotting Ivory Coast? Unlike recent times, it will be difficult to win the propaganda war, considering that fact that daily podcasts, daily reels, daily feeds, daily threads are continuously reeled out on social media about Burkina Faso and its leader Ibrahim Traore. These broadcasts are not just coming from Africans but even from prominent social media gurus and influencers like Julius Malema, 98% of Nigerian celebrities, Arikana Chihombori-Quao (former African Ambassador to the US), Akon, George Galloway and countless others. Some social media posts have young men offering to join the Burkina Faso to fight for him. While others pledge to pray for him, the majority is seething about the thought.
What has Ibrahim Traore proved to the world?
He has proved that the Western version of Democracy in Africa is measured and calibrated along the lines of western interest which act as yard sticks. It proves that foreign policy is euphemism for foreign interests. It proves that until imperialism is dead, the hope for world peace will remain a fleeting illusion but never attained. It proves that Europe and the West never granted African countries independence in the strictest sense of the word. It shows the arrogance of western imperialism and its lack of faith in the ability of the continent to manage its affairs. Ibrahim Traore, like others before him has proved that nothing is impossible for any leader who prioritises the needs of his/her people. Thanks to unbridled sense of racial superiority, he has exposed the myth that despite its riches, the west thinks that African and Africans lack the brain cells to manage its resource wealth without adult supervision from you know who. He has proved that African countries need a renaissance in global relationships. By his vision, actions, dreams, and general ambition for his country, he is proving that there is no hierarchy of values by which one culture is has the right to insist on all its own values and deny those of another.
A world-wide protest is planned for April 30/04/2025. Be there and be part of history.
DECOLONISE OUR MINDS. PLEASE, PLEAESE, PLEASE, PLEASE.
HANDS OFF TRAORE! HANDS OFF TRAORE! HANDS OFF TRAORE!
Please turn the lights out when you leave the room.
Abdulai Mansaray.
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