Attention With Intention -By Tony Osakpamwan Agbons

Some days ago, I was scanning through journal archives on my computer for some important information. There is a research presentation which am due to make in the next few weeks. As its oft the case search techniques learnt in graduate school came through for me. Use of truncation, phrase searching and wild cards were required when zipping through several journal articles and folders in my computer sandbox. It took several attempts before eventually locating the journal papers needed. Some of that document has been in my archives for rock of ages and top notch focused thinking and raft attention was required to find it.

Recently, a number of global events has caught the attention. The fragile peace deal between Israelis and Palestinian group, Hamas culminating in signing of a cease fire agreement and release of hostages on both sides. There was the protest in the Asian country of Nepal and African island nation of Madagascar led by youths. Both uprisings led to change of governments in both countries. In East Africa, geriatric long-serving President of Uganda, 82 years old Yoweri Museveni did not surprise anyone as he threw his hat into the ring for a 7th consecutive term in office in the 2026 general elections in that country. The strongman of Ivorian politics, 83 years old Alassane Quattara has just won a 4th consecutive term in office as President. This was after his two biggest challengers were barred from running in the elections.

Not too far away in Central Africa, the reigning, undisputed, undefeated ‘oldest man’ of global presidency, 92 years old Paul Biya is trending. He has just been pronounced winner of the country’s presidential election. He will be serving a consecutive 8th term in office. At the end of this new term of 7 years, Mr Biya would be 99 years old. A grand Methuselah! Paul Biya has been in the saddle for 43 years already and would clock 50 years in office if he remains oxygenated until 2032 when this new term ends. Huge joke isn’t? A mockery of what indeed DEMOCRACY is.

A common denominator with these ‘sit-tight’ autocratic rulers is manipulation and circumventing of their constitution in order to hold on to power beyond term and age limits. Supporters of these aberrations point to China or Rwanda as examples to follow. However, the knock on such argument is premised on tangible developments. Not so many will raise an eyelid if countries like Uganda, Cameroon and the likes have been transformed to El-dorado.

In Tanzania, once a beacon of hope due to the imperious leadership of revered statesman, Julius Nyerere, the general elections have been thrown into gibberish due to the high handedness of incumbent President Samia Suhulu Hassan. The 65 years old female leader has shown that ‘what a man can do, a woman can do better’. She has succeeded in using state apparatus to silence her main opposition. Tanzania’s electoral commission has cleared 17 presidential candidates for the elections, but the main opposition party, Chadema, is barred with its leader, Tundu Lissu, currently on trial for treason. The presidential hopeful from the second largest opposition party, ACT Wazalendo, Mr Luhana Mpina has also been disqualified twice. Mr Mpina had managed to get his candidacy reinstated by the High Court after he was barred over a procedural issue; but when the Attorney General of Tanzania appealed last month, the electoral commission decided to uphold the disqualification.

In the early part of the 20th century, most African nations were under colonial rule. The British, French, Portuguese and Belgians held sway as imperialists. They exploited the African soil to its bare bones. They carted away agricultural produce, precious minerals and other natural resources as much as they could. As the natives sought freedom from exploitation and oppression, these colonial powers at the time used brute force to suppress the people. Countless numbers were incarcerated in prisons, and so many others sent to their early graves for daring to speak up and fight for the emancipation of their people and God-given land.

As history tells us, the imperial overlords engaged the strategy of divide and rule to subjugate African peoples (emphasis mine). The late 1950s and early 1960s saw the emergence of independent African nations beginning with Ghana in 1957 and Nigeria in 1960. The year 1960 saw 17 African countries achieve independence from colonial rule. It is a year often referred to as ‘Year of Africa’. Most of those countries were former French colonies. Several other countries gained independence later including Zimbabwe (1980) and Namibia (1990).

However, looking back, how has the continent of Africa fared? Has the continent achieved its potential in proportion to its vast human and natural resources? If yes or no, what are the predisposing factors. Following independence, a lot of African countries were unable to manage their affairs democratically, in fairness, equity and justice for its citizens. The majority of the new leaders who ironically fought for independence threw caution to the wind. They went on a fantasy ride of extravagant lifestyles and profligacy. From the blues, the men in military uniform styling themselves as revolutionaries took over the reins of leadership. They struck countless times in Ghana, Nigeria, Guinea, Togo, Egypt, Mali and other countries on the continent. In the grand scheme of things, these soldiers really did not fare better. The records are there except for a few exceptions.

Africa with a population of 1.55 billion people is the second-most populous continent in the world, right behind Asia. Nigeria, Ethiopia, Egypt, DR Congo and Tanzania have 237 million, 135 million, 118 million, 112 million and 70 million people respectively to top the chart. Africa`s population is growing rapidly with an annual growth rate of 2.29% in 2025 and is projected to reach 2.4 billion by 2050 and 4.1 billion by the year 2100. These data ordinarily should elicit joy as such large population is a ready market for production/consumption of goods and services. Unfortunately, the reverse is the case. On the flip side, Europe has a population of 744 million people (third-most populous continent in the world). The most populous countries in Europe are Russia:144 million, Germany: 84 million, United Kingdom: 69 million, France: 66 million and Italy: 59 million. Europe`s population is experiencing a slight decline with an annual growth rate of minus 0.09% in 2025. It is shocking to note that while Europe has integrated fully, Africa remains divided along the aprons of imperialism and self-conceit.

The African continent is the least integrated amongst the world`s continents. The African Union (AU) has become an annual talk-shop without visible outcomes. While Europeans travel from one country to the other within Europe in a canter for tourism, leisure and business with ease, Africa is the direct opposite. It is easier for the camel to pass through the eye of the needle than for an African to travel from one African country to another. The greed and wickedness of those who ascend to Power and leadership in Africa beggars belief. They loot resources and stack them away in Europe and other foreign land. Resources they can never expend in their lifetime ten times over. These African leaders must be sick.

The European financial systems are also complicit in this looting, as they create conduit pipes and ‘warehouse` for these satanic African leaders to siphon and store their ill-gotten wealth. You wonder why education, healthcare, housing, roads, and other vital infrastructure for comfortable living are insufficient or non-existent in many African countries. Natural resources from African soil make their way to foreign industries in Europe and elsewhere, are refined and then sent back to Africa at high cost. What happened to the age-old basic economic theory of localization of industries.

As the world continues to make giant leaps in innovation, digital transformation and artificial intelligence, African leaders must rise beyond pettiness, greed and their bloated avalanche for filthy lucre. The damage the likes of Paul Biya and his ‘stay in power till heavens call’ gang are doing to the moral fabric of African society is unquantifiable and beyond human calculations. They make mockery of democracy, making many young Africans to start seeking self-help and alternative options to governance.

On their part, western powers like France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and United States of America must get their acts together. The double standards, hypocrisy and ‘was in it for us’ formula often adopted by leaders of these nations has got to cease. In the final analysis, Africans must understand that it is only Africans that will develop Africa. Even where we have to seek external support, it should be collaboration and partnerships rather than charity. We got to pay due attention to these things and be intentional about it. Time to yield the mic….

Dr Tony Agbons, a global affairs analyst blogs @www.twin2.org