It's really good to hear your view on this. I know it's silly to think of "Africa" as one place, because it's enormous, home to more human genetic diversity than the entire rest of the world combined, and each nation is unique. However, contagion by way of coup is a funny thing: it tends to spread by way of geography. Once a coup happens nearby, another coup is many times more likely in a given nation.
I'm very concerned about the turn toward authoritarianism, and especially the turn away from the west and toward Russia and China. I certainly understand the strong desire to kick the colonial overlords out (such as in Niger), but trading one former master for another current master is no trade-off the people should be willing to accept.
On point. And coup is becoming a virus more than COVID-19. States in West Africa are mostly affected because they feel the French is siphoning their resources from them. The incumbents who have overstayed in power have had the habit of building alliance with French to hid their wealth but the rebels in army are moving to Russia to get an edge in military tools to oust them.
All of Africa suffered by a couple of centuries of European colonialism. The invaders had little regard for the lives of the people who they found there. Many tribes in Africa already had many conflicts against each other and the Europeans were able to use those conflicts to their advantage. The Africans who joined with the winning Europeans became part of the ruling class, so when the Europeans finally gave various countries "independence", it was often those people who took control. Many of the borders of these countries were not based on African tribal histories or relationships, most of the lines were drawn by the colonialists. I don't know if people have developed any loyalty to the "state" which has never been loyal to them. From far away, it always seems like a fight to see who gets to exploit the resources and oppress the people. 56 countries are part of Africa. Maybe ten of them have a government that is close to having free elections, free speech, and a free press. The one that is listed as the most democratic, Cape Verde, isn’t even on the continent.
There were already conflicts among the tribes before colonialism but it the the colonialists who escalated that division. Even after independence, some leaders continued being with the colonialists just like West Africa and French, South Africa and Holland. This has become a breeding ground for coups. Only few countries especially on sub-Saharan Africa have democratic ideals.
Great great post Edwin! I wholeheartedly agree with your views on this. I have a question though: why do you think some citizens of said countries support these coups?
They are resenting to the establishment because they feel like they have been looting their public resources. So, any coup staged regardless of who stages is deemed as a saviour and so they will automatically support them. Of course, this is emotional response and they do not take time to logically know who the junta leaders are. In fact, the junta will further destabilise the country because they have no action plan to return to civil leadership. Sorry for late response.
Great post, Edwin. It is important that other people get to know and understand the African continent and its many countries. I am definitely not an expert on Africa by any means, but I did have a great algebra and geography teacher who had spent over 20 years in various parts of Africa as a missionary. He always spoke of the pressing need for education. (Unfortunately Mr. Becker was a missionary and he talked more about 'educating to Christianity') When Europeans thrust their ugly presence on the African Continent they took, but they never gave. Many of the indigenous Africans were tribal groups who had not yet developed a political atmosphere similar to 'elected democracy'. If they, the Europeans, had set aside some of their greed and established education in the tribes' own languages to improve their understanding it would have been better. I hope that people such as yourself can start promoting more schools, teaching all children to read, write, and calculate in their own language,. Encourage your children to analyze, be critical. Then in a couple of generations you will have sufficiently intelligent, educated people to understand they don't need a 'strongman's protection' they can thrive and protect themselves. I wish we had done this in all of America, instead of just the urban areas, then maybe we wouldn't be dealing with the threat of fascism now.
Your explanation about indigenous Africa is well informed. Africa is very diverse with many many different tribes. So far education is picking up among Gen Z and millenuals and this is something to smile about.
Sep 21, 2023·edited Sep 21, 2023Liked by Edwin Kiptoo Ngetich
I would love to remind all here that 'education' is one of those words that can mean different things to different people, and that Africans can educate themselves and each other in areas that most benefit their local cultures, customs, plant and animal life, etc. The idea of education today is to train people to conformity to a narrative that may not fit what is best for the individual, the many countries, of Africa, or Africans' own native intelligence to solve their own problems without help of the great white or any otherwise savior.
I am very poor by American standards, but by standards in most other countries, I'm extremely wealthy. Micro loans were something I could do and did do. To know that a small amount of money donated by each person to make the loan happen through small efforts of many persons, could help someone raise the money needed to start or support a business or cooperative, seemed a good and do-able way to go. I'm not sure what will happen with central banking digital currency, but education should not come from any opportunistic overlords from church or state.
Reading and literacy opens up worlds, but it isn't the end all be all. One of the most intelligent persons I ever met was a man who could not read or write, but knew all the plants and how they were used medicinally. He was also one of the kindest. he and his family had next to nothing, but they had Harambe and in that, they were wealthy and generous.
We all have something to contribute and everyone can share in this. Oral traditions are also valuable. Learning herbalism and how indigenous plants are used for healing is but one legitimate ways of being educated. How we need to educate ourselves and each other is to learn and know that we are each infinitely creative beings capable of solving problems. This starts on the individual level and ideas can be shared and collaborative alliances can be formed. I believe there are many ways to support each other. We don't all have to be farmers but we can support local farmers, for instance. Local manufacture of food, clothing, and other goods that we can manufacture, will be essential in the coming times, as will be barter and collaboration, sharing of resources, etc.
I hope Gen Z is the generation that gets educated to solve the problems and i think not abandoning what has worked for thousands of years for your people will be essential. My heart and hope is with you all.
Your understanding of education is well broad and is not narrowed to the Western philosophy. It recognizes that even locality of an area can be the genesis of knowledge. I have had to talk sometimes with those who just did not reach secondary level and I have felt in awe of how they have an understanding of how they use to solve problems in the past. There is more to be discovered in Africa and Gen Z will have a hard task meeting African knowledge. Lastly, Your comments are so inspiring and I have just saved so I can be reading often.
oh Edwin; though we have never met I already have such respect and affection for you. Harambe, my new friend! I hope some of Gen Z will start reading your substack and get educated on history and how not to repeat it. African knowledge is a precious jewel to be protected and nurtured. I am so happy to have been led to your substack by that wonderful benevolent force called Life.
Thank you for this response. We are in agreement. As a former teacher I see clearly the need for individualized education for each student, suited to their abilities, interests, aptitudes, and needs. I agree that all people should learn those things that are important in their society. Not everyone needs to know Shakespeare. Colonialism was bad for the indigenous people on the African Continent. Caucasians from Europe and North Africa (yes the 'Arabic' people are Caucasian) took and took and took. In return they foisted their particular religions on the African tribes, they tried to turn some people into little Caucasian puppets, they tried to instill a sense of inferiority on persons native to the African Continent. In their high handed ignorance they proclaimed the African people were incapable of intelligence or thought processes. Ignoramuses that they were, and so convinced of their own superiority they failed to see the advanced cultures suited to the environment. Even today, too many of us, Caucasians, refuse to accept that we are all the same animal, Homo sapiens. There are infintesimal differences in our genes - mostly cosmetic. I do think we, in the wealthier Nations owe assistance to Africa for all the resources we stole without compensation. I am working on a post for my Substack column on my view of what we should do for Africa.
I like how Beedledee Beedledum has framed the whole concept of knowledge locality. The comment emphasized the society which someone is living as the origin of knowledge and how our curriculum should be based on. Individualization of education while remaining open to those from other societies is the right way to embracing and formalising our diversity. I am loving this conversation. And I welcome your post. I look forward to reading it. Thank you
Thank you Linda Sparkman. Yes there is hope and people whether young or old are getting educated about how government, societies, and other institutions are supposed be run with consideration to democratic ideals.
In West Africa, junta is seeking the support of Russia while the incumbents are rooting for France because they already have deals and have their wealth hidden there. So, it is a matter of self-interest for each party.
Sep 21, 2023·edited Sep 21, 2023Liked by Edwin Kiptoo Ngetich
Yes! Edwin, you have such a great understanding of both the human spirit and misuse of power. Yet you have not lost your openness. Both competing powers have agendas and they are not for the People - same old same; different actors. Here in the US, people want some kind of savior (a politician), when they themselves are their saviors and don't even know this.
We are conditioned by what can only be called the Deep State, to hate the 'other', when the most powerful at the top are terrified of us realizing how much we have in common and that the enemy is not each other. Decentralizing and localizing, becoming active this way, is the antidote. I keep telling anyone here who'll listen to look up to the top of the pyramid if they want to blame the politicians; they are only part of the paid puppet network to make the ultra rich and powerful so powerful. Then get busy, think deep, and make action locally.
Decentralisation and localisation. These concepts are modern-day approach to a true democracy free from unchecked powers and deep state. The last regime in Kenya almost tried the deep state hullabaloo by armtwisting electoral agency and judicial system but failed miserably. The decentralised power of the people overpowered them and rendered them powerless. And that made me thinking that despite knowledge insufficiency among the masses, they atleast knew they don't want centralization of powers and resources. Politicians are like children, their petulance needs constant checks and brakes to tame their greed.
This may be of interest, since it's about a different kind of coup; what the Gates Foundation is doing to Africa via his idea of poisoned agriculture. Of course, most of us know about this but in case someone doesn't, here it is. It's all so evil - same as what Gates did to the cotton farmers in India. criminalize seed saving and force people to buy the GMO poisoned seeds. How can we help stop this?
It's really good to hear your view on this. I know it's silly to think of "Africa" as one place, because it's enormous, home to more human genetic diversity than the entire rest of the world combined, and each nation is unique. However, contagion by way of coup is a funny thing: it tends to spread by way of geography. Once a coup happens nearby, another coup is many times more likely in a given nation.
I'm very concerned about the turn toward authoritarianism, and especially the turn away from the west and toward Russia and China. I certainly understand the strong desire to kick the colonial overlords out (such as in Niger), but trading one former master for another current master is no trade-off the people should be willing to accept.
On point. And coup is becoming a virus more than COVID-19. States in West Africa are mostly affected because they feel the French is siphoning their resources from them. The incumbents who have overstayed in power have had the habit of building alliance with French to hid their wealth but the rebels in army are moving to Russia to get an edge in military tools to oust them.
Yeah. It's understandable why folks want the old colonialists out.
I just hope it's not a Faustian bargain, where they are trading one demon for another.
Unfortunately they seek other powerful demons to oust the incumbent demons.
Well said. Ouch.
All of Africa suffered by a couple of centuries of European colonialism. The invaders had little regard for the lives of the people who they found there. Many tribes in Africa already had many conflicts against each other and the Europeans were able to use those conflicts to their advantage. The Africans who joined with the winning Europeans became part of the ruling class, so when the Europeans finally gave various countries "independence", it was often those people who took control. Many of the borders of these countries were not based on African tribal histories or relationships, most of the lines were drawn by the colonialists. I don't know if people have developed any loyalty to the "state" which has never been loyal to them. From far away, it always seems like a fight to see who gets to exploit the resources and oppress the people. 56 countries are part of Africa. Maybe ten of them have a government that is close to having free elections, free speech, and a free press. The one that is listed as the most democratic, Cape Verde, isn’t even on the continent.
There were already conflicts among the tribes before colonialism but it the the colonialists who escalated that division. Even after independence, some leaders continued being with the colonialists just like West Africa and French, South Africa and Holland. This has become a breeding ground for coups. Only few countries especially on sub-Saharan Africa have democratic ideals.
Great great post Edwin! I wholeheartedly agree with your views on this. I have a question though: why do you think some citizens of said countries support these coups?
They are resenting to the establishment because they feel like they have been looting their public resources. So, any coup staged regardless of who stages is deemed as a saviour and so they will automatically support them. Of course, this is emotional response and they do not take time to logically know who the junta leaders are. In fact, the junta will further destabilise the country because they have no action plan to return to civil leadership. Sorry for late response.
Thank you. I definitely agree. I wish there was more research done on this interesting phenomena.
The signs are obvious but I hope in future I will delve into the competing interests of the junta.
Great post, Edwin. It is important that other people get to know and understand the African continent and its many countries. I am definitely not an expert on Africa by any means, but I did have a great algebra and geography teacher who had spent over 20 years in various parts of Africa as a missionary. He always spoke of the pressing need for education. (Unfortunately Mr. Becker was a missionary and he talked more about 'educating to Christianity') When Europeans thrust their ugly presence on the African Continent they took, but they never gave. Many of the indigenous Africans were tribal groups who had not yet developed a political atmosphere similar to 'elected democracy'. If they, the Europeans, had set aside some of their greed and established education in the tribes' own languages to improve their understanding it would have been better. I hope that people such as yourself can start promoting more schools, teaching all children to read, write, and calculate in their own language,. Encourage your children to analyze, be critical. Then in a couple of generations you will have sufficiently intelligent, educated people to understand they don't need a 'strongman's protection' they can thrive and protect themselves. I wish we had done this in all of America, instead of just the urban areas, then maybe we wouldn't be dealing with the threat of fascism now.
Your explanation about indigenous Africa is well informed. Africa is very diverse with many many different tribes. So far education is picking up among Gen Z and millenuals and this is something to smile about.
Yay!!!
I would love to remind all here that 'education' is one of those words that can mean different things to different people, and that Africans can educate themselves and each other in areas that most benefit their local cultures, customs, plant and animal life, etc. The idea of education today is to train people to conformity to a narrative that may not fit what is best for the individual, the many countries, of Africa, or Africans' own native intelligence to solve their own problems without help of the great white or any otherwise savior.
I am very poor by American standards, but by standards in most other countries, I'm extremely wealthy. Micro loans were something I could do and did do. To know that a small amount of money donated by each person to make the loan happen through small efforts of many persons, could help someone raise the money needed to start or support a business or cooperative, seemed a good and do-able way to go. I'm not sure what will happen with central banking digital currency, but education should not come from any opportunistic overlords from church or state.
Reading and literacy opens up worlds, but it isn't the end all be all. One of the most intelligent persons I ever met was a man who could not read or write, but knew all the plants and how they were used medicinally. He was also one of the kindest. he and his family had next to nothing, but they had Harambe and in that, they were wealthy and generous.
We all have something to contribute and everyone can share in this. Oral traditions are also valuable. Learning herbalism and how indigenous plants are used for healing is but one legitimate ways of being educated. How we need to educate ourselves and each other is to learn and know that we are each infinitely creative beings capable of solving problems. This starts on the individual level and ideas can be shared and collaborative alliances can be formed. I believe there are many ways to support each other. We don't all have to be farmers but we can support local farmers, for instance. Local manufacture of food, clothing, and other goods that we can manufacture, will be essential in the coming times, as will be barter and collaboration, sharing of resources, etc.
I hope Gen Z is the generation that gets educated to solve the problems and i think not abandoning what has worked for thousands of years for your people will be essential. My heart and hope is with you all.
Your understanding of education is well broad and is not narrowed to the Western philosophy. It recognizes that even locality of an area can be the genesis of knowledge. I have had to talk sometimes with those who just did not reach secondary level and I have felt in awe of how they have an understanding of how they use to solve problems in the past. There is more to be discovered in Africa and Gen Z will have a hard task meeting African knowledge. Lastly, Your comments are so inspiring and I have just saved so I can be reading often.
oh Edwin; though we have never met I already have such respect and affection for you. Harambe, my new friend! I hope some of Gen Z will start reading your substack and get educated on history and how not to repeat it. African knowledge is a precious jewel to be protected and nurtured. I am so happy to have been led to your substack by that wonderful benevolent force called Life.
Thank you for this response. We are in agreement. As a former teacher I see clearly the need for individualized education for each student, suited to their abilities, interests, aptitudes, and needs. I agree that all people should learn those things that are important in their society. Not everyone needs to know Shakespeare. Colonialism was bad for the indigenous people on the African Continent. Caucasians from Europe and North Africa (yes the 'Arabic' people are Caucasian) took and took and took. In return they foisted their particular religions on the African tribes, they tried to turn some people into little Caucasian puppets, they tried to instill a sense of inferiority on persons native to the African Continent. In their high handed ignorance they proclaimed the African people were incapable of intelligence or thought processes. Ignoramuses that they were, and so convinced of their own superiority they failed to see the advanced cultures suited to the environment. Even today, too many of us, Caucasians, refuse to accept that we are all the same animal, Homo sapiens. There are infintesimal differences in our genes - mostly cosmetic. I do think we, in the wealthier Nations owe assistance to Africa for all the resources we stole without compensation. I am working on a post for my Substack column on my view of what we should do for Africa.
I like how Beedledee Beedledum has framed the whole concept of knowledge locality. The comment emphasized the society which someone is living as the origin of knowledge and how our curriculum should be based on. Individualization of education while remaining open to those from other societies is the right way to embracing and formalising our diversity. I am loving this conversation. And I welcome your post. I look forward to reading it. Thank you
Thank you, Edwin. I'm working on it and look forward to your critique.
Thank you for your insight. Im s true outsider, for some time I have sensed a hope growing in your birth country.
And pretty much simply because I believe hope is growing, I believe healing is possible.
Thank you Linda Sparkman. Yes there is hope and people whether young or old are getting educated about how government, societies, and other institutions are supposed be run with consideration to democratic ideals.
I think that part of the coup trend in Africa comes from a low-grade proxy war between Russia and France.
In West Africa, junta is seeking the support of Russia while the incumbents are rooting for France because they already have deals and have their wealth hidden there. So, it is a matter of self-interest for each party.
Yes! Edwin, you have such a great understanding of both the human spirit and misuse of power. Yet you have not lost your openness. Both competing powers have agendas and they are not for the People - same old same; different actors. Here in the US, people want some kind of savior (a politician), when they themselves are their saviors and don't even know this.
We are conditioned by what can only be called the Deep State, to hate the 'other', when the most powerful at the top are terrified of us realizing how much we have in common and that the enemy is not each other. Decentralizing and localizing, becoming active this way, is the antidote. I keep telling anyone here who'll listen to look up to the top of the pyramid if they want to blame the politicians; they are only part of the paid puppet network to make the ultra rich and powerful so powerful. Then get busy, think deep, and make action locally.
Decentralisation and localisation. These concepts are modern-day approach to a true democracy free from unchecked powers and deep state. The last regime in Kenya almost tried the deep state hullabaloo by armtwisting electoral agency and judicial system but failed miserably. The decentralised power of the people overpowered them and rendered them powerless. And that made me thinking that despite knowledge insufficiency among the masses, they atleast knew they don't want centralization of powers and resources. Politicians are like children, their petulance needs constant checks and brakes to tame their greed.
Well thought, and said!
This may be of interest, since it's about a different kind of coup; what the Gates Foundation is doing to Africa via his idea of poisoned agriculture. Of course, most of us know about this but in case someone doesn't, here it is. It's all so evil - same as what Gates did to the cotton farmers in India. criminalize seed saving and force people to buy the GMO poisoned seeds. How can we help stop this?
https://childrenshealthdefense.org/defender/gates-foundation-food-farming-africa-rtk/?utm_id=20230921