Africa, Corruption and General de Gaulle

“To make trees grow you need manure”

(Former Italian Prime Minister)

In 1940 France was not defeated by Germany. It’s now a consensus: she was humiliated.

One man refused to accept the defeat and decided instead to found the Free French Movement and to continue the war to free his country from the German colonization.

Four years later, this unparallel act of courage, decisiveness, proud, fidelity, dedication, amour to one’s country, will lead to victory and the man that was almost completely alone in refusing to surrender in June 1940, will be received as an hero in his country and he will save the honour lost.

This astonishing victory against the forces of oppression, submission, racism, militarism…is much more remarkable if one knows that the contribution of Free French Movement was symbolic. Germany was defeated by Russians and Americans.

That means that the historic victory of general de Gaulle was essentially obtained in his refusal to give his consent to an illegitimate power and to persuade the others to do the same.

And others did the same. They would join La Résistance knowing that they have, even in the complete defeat, “the power to refuse our consent”. That refusal will eventually lead to the expulsion of the barbarians from France and the re conquest of national Independence and Dignity.

We believe that general de Gaulle (a man that by profession and education learnt to obey orders from his superior by heart) did commit an act -Appeal of 18 June- of historical grandeur without parallel in French history because he learnt to love his country.

My mother, he wrote in his memories, felt an uncompromising passion for the fatherland.

“An uncompromising passion for the fatherland” is something that most part of Africans leaders do not have, hence the corruption in Africa.

We believe that because most part of African leaders do not love Africa, this explains greatly why once in the power they grab as much as they can, transfer them to western banks, buy properties in western countries, send their kids to study in those countries and eventually retiring there and returning to Africa only after they are dead.

The problem is not so much about corruption (very serious indeed) but the absolute lack of love and passion for one’s country and continent.

Italy is a very corrupt country. But where do Italian politicians invest their money? Where do they send their kids to study? Where do Italian politicians go when they are sick?

Charles de Gaulle knew that without his country he was nothing and that the Dignity of French people was not negotiable, being himself French that means that his Dignity as a Human being was not negotiable. And he did act all his life accordingly.

De Gaulle is not my hero and he should not be for any African man.
Sékou Touré is my hero and he should be for all Africans. He did for Guinea-Conakry and Africa what de Gaulle did for France and Europe.
Sékou Touré fought and died for the Dignity of African Man; for the Dignity of Man, whereas de Gaulle fought and died only for the Dignity of the French Man or maybe also the white man, which shows that even in the land of the Enlightenment project not everyone understands what Enlightenment stands for.

Abel Djassy

Note: Of course I do not condone corruption and I will go further: in most African countries is not even correct to talk about corruption; it is worst than that: it is robbery.(ex:Angola,Nigeria etc…).
Corruption implies some degree of concealment, the authors are afraid of being caught, afraid of …shame attached to the act. Not most of the African leaders.