Afe Babalola

In examining Lord Lugard’s description of the character makeup of the African I began by an analysis of that aspect by which Africans were described as lacking in self control, discipline and foresight. After giving examples of events in Africa which suggest that Lord Lugard was right, I stated that Africa in the past had been blessed with Leaders who possessed the character traits which Lord Lugard had lamented was lacking in Africans.  Within the Nigerian context, I named the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe and Sir Ahmadu Bello.

The amazing thing is that these leaders all passed away within living memory. So why is it that the current crop of African leaders has failed to live up to the standards set by the leaders of old? Whilst the three gentlemen I have mentioned may have died as comfortable men, I doubt if in their lifetime they ever accumulated the mindboggling wealth that is so typical of today’s leaders. It is after all now fashionable for most elected leaders to open and operate foreign accounts which are in turn used as channels to purchase luxury homes and accessories abroad.

Yet this aspect of the Character make-up of the African is not limited to our leaders alone. Many Africans and Nigerians daily give justification to       Lord Lugard’s statement. In a country in which many live below the poverty line it beats all sense of decency and responsibility that a single person entrusted with the pensions of many retired public officers who had served their country creditably would stash such a huge amount of money at home and yet have the ability to carry on with all semblance of a normal life.

VANITY
Vanity as observed by Lord Lugard is the lot of many Africans. We adore and worship ostentatious living. This is why many would go to extremes to gain the respect of their fellow men. They are often rewarded with Chieftaincy titles and honorary academic awards. In one unfortunate incident, a community crowned a well known armed robber as a traditional ruler. The people were more concerned with whatever they could momentarily gain from the proceeds of his criminal exploits than the long lasting effects of their choice on the general perception by others of their community and its value system. A common feature of the recent criminal trial of a former governor in the United Kingdom was the open display of support he got from a group of persons who throughout the duration of the trial displayed posters and banners calling for his release. Many independent observers who were obviously unaware of the rent-a-crowd gimmicks of most of our politicians were shocked that anybody could openly support a man accused of stealing billions of public funds. Whether hired or not, such support aptly epitomizes Lord Lugard’s summation of what is common to us as Africans.

On the political front many politicians rather than leave lasting legacies in the form of programs and policies which would impact the populace long after they have left office, are more interested in immortalizing themselves through the naming of most projects executed with state funds in their personal names. The best honour to my mind is one conferred by others on the honoree after he has left office, and not by himself.

NON-EVOLUTION OF RECOGNISED RELIGIOUS CREED
An interesting aspect of Lord Lugard’s comment is that which describes Africans as having failed to evolve any organized religious creed. He is right to a large extent. The dominant religions on the African continent are Christianity and Islam. Both religious creeds were introduced to Africans by explorers, invaders and colonialists. Prior to the introduction of these religions, semblances of religions or worships existed in some parts of Africa. In the area now known as Southwest Nigeria, the indigenes worshipped different gods and made sacrifices to them in anticipation of one divine favour or the other. However what I consider interesting and worthy of some form of mention is not really the fact that Africans failed to evolve any recognized religious creed, but how that failure may have contributed to the inability of Africans to largely inculcate and put to practice the basic tenets of the religions introduced to Africa and how these said religions have in reality been employed for less than pious purposes.

At the moment, the most wanted man on the African Continent is one Joseph Kony who with his Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) has committed some of the greatest atrocities the continent has witnessed. His crimes cut across Central African Republic (CAR), Uganda, Congo and South Sudan. Time in its March 26 2012 edition described Kony as follows;

“Kony is one of the cruelest and most twisted men ever to hold a gun. His MO (Mode of Operation) runs to rape, murder, mutilation and cannibalism, and he sustains his group by pillaging villages, stealing food and abducting children to take as soldiers and wives.”

Kony who is a Preacher and described as having a unique take on the Bible is quoted to have said that:
“The Bible says if you are going to do good, do good all your life, and if you are going to do evil, do evil all your life. I chose evil, and that’s what I will always do.”

Interestingly while his crimes have attracted attention from the Governments of most European Countries and the United States Congress which after conducting a public hearing on him, passed the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) Disarmament and Northern Uganda Recovery Act, Africans and their governments appear unmoved or uncaring about the notoriety this individual has brought to the continent.

On the home front, Nigerians can be classified amongst the most religious people in the world. Churches and Mosques alike are a common feature of the landscapes of most towns and cities in the country. Everyday new churches of different names are established to join the already huge numbers of those in existence. Yet despite this overt religious piety of its citizens, the Country has for decades experienced one religious crisis or the other. From the Maitasine uprising in the 80s, matters have degenerated to the current Boko Haram campaign of terror in parts of Nigeria and notably the Federal Capital Territory. Religion has become a tool of oppression and subjugation.

Yet as stated earlier, the horizons of both religions in Nigeria continue to widen by the day. From being introduced to Christianity, Nigerians now export their own unique brand of Pentecostalism to other parts of the globe. How then can one explain the continued erosion or absence of the most basic virtues and ethos in several aspects of our national life? At the conclusion of the recent UTME examination into the country’s tertiary institutions, several newspapers reported how teachers and Parents alike assisted candidates to cheat at the examinations. While some parents paid money to have their children placed in special centers, some others paid couriers to smuggle examinations answers to their Children. I do not know of any other place in the world where such conduct would even be contemplated, on a scale as was experienced during the examinations, other than our blessed Africa.

Next week I will examine the claim of Lord Lugard that whilst the typical African loves the display of power he always fails to realize its responsibilities.