Libya Attack: Lessons for Africa

The pounding of Libya with Western-ally-led tomahawk missiles is an indictment to African leaders, African Union, and Western powers. By ignoring the electorate, using them to rubber-stamp selfish whims and overturning their decision during voting, African leaders have opened a gap that the developed world uses to position itself as available for the ‘people.’ The West, though purporting to champion human rights, democracy, and rule of law always uses double standards. They have been quick to support Libyan ‘revolutionaries’ but paid a blind eye to Bahrain where the very conditions - or even worse – that Libya is accused of exist. Further, emphasis on “might is right” might scale up arms competition leading to a more armed world. This defeats democracy. 

African leaders must put their act together and manage themselves. If they don't, they will be managed. The African Union’s act of fumbling in Ivory Coast, Somalia, Egypt and Tunisia and  failing to speak uniformly on continental and global issues subjects Africa to foreign divide and rule onslaughts. AU would do better to safeguard the interests of the African people and not hide behind formality to protect wayward political elites on the continent. It is time that African leaders paid attention to their citizenry, offered efficient services to them, invested in the policy of inclusiveness and innovation. Today, Western missiles are pounding Africa; whose missiles will pound the continent tomorrow?