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Anguish
of The Ancestors
By
Pat Utomi
culled from GUARDIAN. March 15,
2006
One of my favourite jokes when
libation is poured is an invitation to go easy because the earth seems to
soak up so much alcohol the ancestors are too tipsy to watch out for
Africa's children. When Youweri Museveni was declared elected to another
term as President of Uganda, I was sure soporific effect of the alcohol had
sent the ancestors off their guard into slumber deep enough that Africa
could be re-colonised on their watch. Poor ancestors they must have much to
agonise about as they observe Africa's travail.
More seriously, the
continuation of Museveni in office after 20 years created for me a
frightful sense of dŽjˆ vu. I could not but remember Mugabe. When in the
late 1970s and early 80s I lived in the United States as a graduate
student, it was a season to be ashamed of to be African. Idi Amin was in
charge in Uganda, several others of equally tarnished pedigree held sway
elsewhere on the continent and Afropessimism was well under way. It was
in such a season that a new leader from Zimbabwe appeared on the Sunday
Morning news shows.
He was bright,
monstrously articulate and focused. What redemption to the African
reputation. Some of us walked around feeling 100 feet tall. Between
1983 and 1985, I visited Harare several times, enjoying how the
blooming Jacarandas made the city seem like a peacock in full glow.
Last November I stepped unto the soil of Zimbabwe again. After a
quarter of a century in office this hero of yesterday had left his
country in ruins, a ghost of the dream of yesteryears. I wondered if
Uganda would not end up the same way.
Overstaying in office
is a temptation for most mortals. It may come from genuine
conviction that all of one's good work could be ruined by
successors, from share egocentrism, or even for more devious
reasons, including not knowing how to get off the back of a
tiger without ending up in its belly. Whatever the motives,
history suggests that such leaders as leave as victims wounded,
under-performing countries and the anger of history's evaluation
of their tenure. Even in mature democracies the tendency is
high. Margaret Thatcher rescued Britain from itself and the
self-destruction of the post-war collectivist tradition.
Entering a third term she found her times tarred by an
inglorious exit through the long knives of a palace coup. That
has diminished her past Downing Street life. Tony Blair runs the
same risk.
I have come to
the view that when leaders stay around longer than their
welcome the investment they have made over the years to
sustain power, become obstacles, and hold progress hostage.
Museveni was much celebrated for arresting the spread of
HIV/AIDS in Uganda and for much economic reform. Like the
Mugabe story he may yet be Uganda's ruin. It is worse when
rules like the grand norm, the constitution, are fair game
in the desire to extend tenure. Even with the best
intentions these tinkering with rules affect the DNA of the
social contract, with damaging consequences for institutions
which ensure sustainable progress.
The trend is
on around the continent. The pathetic excuse for it is
the claim that East Asia's "miracle economies" had long
serving leaders. That lame explanation is probably why
Malaysian Economist K. S Jomo wrote a book titled East
Asia's Misunderstood Miracle. How, for example, do you
explain Thailand, with a coup every 18 months, in those
days, growing just as well as next door Malaysia with
long serving leader? It would seem that elite consensus,
not tenure of a leader was more responsible for
progress, alongside a variety of factors. No one single
factor explains rapid economic growth, anyway. But we
live in the times of Growth talk as apologetics of
power.
Instructive for why long serving leaders ruin their
legacy is a comment about Mugabe from 2003. It was
Good Shepherd Sunday in the spring of that year. I
was in London and had gone to the Westminster
Cathedral for Mass. The surprise celebrant was an
African bishop who was introduced with much gusto by
the Administrator of the Cathedral. Archbishop Pius
Mkpumbe of Bulawayo. Given his reputation as an
opponent of Mugabe, I waited for a fire and
brimstone homily but he did not mention Zimbabwe in
his sermon, giving instead a very pius talk on the
Good Shepherd that left the impression of being
before a very holy man. When at the conclusion he
was again toasted by the Administrator he said
softly that he was a simple village boy that tries
to do his duty and asked for prayers for his
country.
Referring to Mugabe, he said that sometimes
leaders start out well and maybe well
intentioned but they stay around for so long
they begin to make costly errors. I could only
imagine the errors of those that do not start
out well.
If this trend persists, Africa could be
falling farther and farther behind in a
globalised world with the little patience
for laggards. Africa's re-colonisation
cannot be ruled out, if Afro-pessimism comes
back with great strength. This is why the
fight for the soul of Africa by reforming
its leadership ethos is an epic one from
which all who shy away will receive
history's contempt.
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Prof Utomi is of the Lagos Business
School, Pan African University.
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