Historically, conflicts and crisis comprise the process of
development and progress in a nation. Usually these conflicts are a means to
correct perceived injustice and are not for economic benefits. However, in the case
of the African continent, the occurrence of inter and intra tribal raids for
slave trade to present day sponsoring of conflict in other African nations by
African leaders to internal conflicts (Examples include Ghadaffi’s
alleged role in training Niger-Delta militants, the rise of the Niger Delta
warlords, Charles Taylor’s role in Sierra Leone’s civil war and Gourevitch’s
critique of the humanitarian aid industry) prove that conflict is a
lucrative business for its promoters. The existence of conflict and violence is
gainful employment for all involved except the victims.
Lives are wasted for nothing- and I mean that literarily.
This begs the questions WHY? I have weighed the costs of a conflict- economic
and productivity losses, emigration and capital flight, destroyed
infrastructure, systems and values, and no growth- and benefits of a conflict situation
– political gains, wealth, increased sale of weapons for manufacturers-and don't understand why individuals engage in this business. The greed versus
grievance theory of conflict- in my mind- fails to fully capture the nature of
violence and conflict in Africa. I think
there is the added dimension of cruelty. I believe that there is something
inherently mean and vicious about our nature. This shows even in our everyday
relationships. The other I observed an argument between an artisan and a cook
over drinking water!
Walter Rodney in “How
Europe underdeveloped Africa” asserted that as at the time Europeans
initially arrived in Africa, the whole continent was 400 years behind Europe.
There are no prizes for guessing the gap now.
As Nigerians and Africans, we rail about the slow pace of
development, poverty, high cost of living, and rising food prices but fail to
connect the dots on how these events are a consequence of our conflict and
violence prone nature. For instance, in Nigeria we complain about the rise in
the cost of tomatoes and yam but forget that the prices of these items must
rise because the activities of Boko Haram is gradually shutting down the
economy of the North. Also I wonder why we gripe about these issues yet are
still willing tools in the hands of those who promote violence. We support them
and call their activities noble whilst we suffer and they smile to the banks. I
imagine what joy a militant derives from killing others or vandalizing property
with no substantial benefits to him (he still lives in poverty) whilst his
principal enjoys the good life.
The one solution I can come up with is that individually we
need to shed the culture and attitude of my way or the highway (tied to corruption)
even if it is for enlightened self-interest.
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