Thoughts One
[Let me preface this literary rant by simply
stating that I’m neither an African, historian of African history, academic or expert of any kind other than my Blackness, just one of those ubiquitous everyday people of African descent who has been thrown into the generational maelstrom of races and cultures where I, by virtue of the natural habit of global-human migration must nourish the roots of predecessors while maintaining identity, which transcends the still moot question of “birthplace-ness.” In a world that has mentally shaped me, and out of innate interest, race and identity have afforded me the ability to and privilege developing and nurturing a worldview. So as the world continues to turn, and out of natural human interest, I have developed and continue to take an interest in the continent of Africa and the way it continues to play out (evolve if you will) as it were. I’ve naturally learned about, and continue to pay attention to, the continent, out of interest — academic subjects here and there, reading publications… books, magazines, watching television documentaries, etc… Objective being to nourish my innate interest in learning about the so-called “Dark Continent.” Western academia, in my view and academic life and experience, vis-a-vis academic content and delivery during my years-long sojourn, received a B minus!]
Meanwhile, the dark continent was never too dark for China to cozy up to. It had been admiring the continent from a distance. The centuries-old European presence was evidence, but no deterrent; the giant panda simply chose to observe from a safe distance. Like an African bird or other animal of prey that depends on carrion for survival, the world’s twentieth, twenty-first century economic behemoth was simply biding its time, awaiting the opportune moment to swoop down… pounce on its victim.
From China’s perspective Africa, in spite of its visibly or buried physical attraction… assets was never, has never been, too dark to cozy up to.
This is no ode to African colonialism/colonization. Just an unbridled and retrospective look adIn retrospect, and decades on, and out of natural interest I’ve learned that Africa is more than dark, for whatever that evidently white/European moniker was worth then and/or now in subsequent years, where China now knows everything it needs to know, as evidenced by its present role in the global economy, the African continent in particular where some say the most powerful global economy on the planet is gradually having its way with what’s left on various countries on the continent to extract.
China has gradually become the world’s twenty-first century’s sole and new economically overwhelming looming colonial power. That reality has not been internationally stated, but it’s tacitly evident.
Each night or weekend I watch BBC’s Focus on Africa or that Chinese-based Cable network CGTN based on the continent I can’t help thinking it’s another step towards Chinese colonialism of the continent.
It’s making a good impression by virtue of the infrastructure it continues to build in various African countries and by extension employment for Africans.
Essentially filling a void African leaders, the apparent leaders of their respective nations seem incapable of getting done with their abundant populations and human manpower.
More to come…
