the colour of truth

The Color of Truth

Obama sir, it’s annoying to find out that one of the major flaws that have prevented Africa from reaching maturity has been the ability to shun the truth and, worse, to encourage her children never to use it when doing introspection.

That is the truth! Africa has never been the one to look truth into the eye and admit, yes, we sell our souls for a penny. Or even to concede, yes, we are not up to the scratch with what we have been doing. Even the president of South Africa, Thabo Mbeki failed to say the truth when asked about the situation in Zimbabwe after her ill – tempered elections. Thabo Mbeki declared “there is no crisis in Zimbabwe.” “There is no crisis” is the accepted universal truth about Africa by her leaders. The inability of anyone to recognize their flaws and to admit the truth is a disaster. The ability of anyone to believe that everything is okay in Africa in the face of contradictory evidence regarding her stance is a misfortune. It reinforces a negative mentality of ‘to hell with them,’ what do they know about an African idea of truth? Every time truth is told the African recoils into a morass of denial and the inclination to lie, whereas there is ample evidence why they decided to tell her the truth, and are indeed interested in helping her.
If Africa has indeed listened to the truth long ago then why is she still struggling today? The truth is that Africa decided that those who told the truth were enemies. They were jealous; they did not understand being an African. What they probably told Africa, and what they probably did was to act like human beings. They were giving an objective, impartial assessment of her. But the listeners, deciding that they were being lied to, refuted to see the truth. Without experimenting with the truth the leaders, if they are in power, ruthlessly abuse those who cries for the it.
It is safe and to the point to believe that during the meetings of the former OAU the truth was never discussed. And for that matter, to believe that the OAU promised Africa lies. The OAU was made up of the heads of all African states excluding, among others, South Africa. More than half of those who used to attend were from countries with the worst famine and poverty combined in the world. Some of those countries had child soldiers. In more countries you would experience tribal wars, lack of education, gross unemployment, no proper economics planning, and floundering business etiquette, abuse of power and state resources and many other evils. Mankind, whatever the colour, know what evil is. So do African heads of states.
Therefore, it was with hope that Africa viewed the impending OAU summit. It is all probable that there would be a flurry of activity before such a summit. Officials would be scurrying around collecting facts, doing surveys, busy with market research, analyzing markets at home and elsewhere, collaborating facts and talking to each other about matters affecting their continent. They did all this so that the summit should be a success. To be a success the summit must be fed the truth. The heads of states were expected to tell and discuss the true state of their countries so as to enable the summit to map a concise, believable way forward. The business plan they were expected to draw would then be used to alleviate the suffering Africa experienced and to provide any help required. But Africa has always been disappointed with the results, if there were any, of the recently held summits. After a year or so another summit would be on the way and the same enthusiasm would be shown in preparing for such an event and anyone who dared tell the truth about the status of the OAU would be labeled unpatriotic of Africa. Africa has many labels she puts on the faces of those who speak the truth. She has many straw men to use to wave away the naked, truthful assessment of why she is so sick and traumatised. If truth be told, Africa, in the African scheme of things, believes her condition is spick and span, and oh! so vibrant.
If it is not so, why is the present AU still believes in the way OAU did things? The new leadership is worse than their prodecuressors. They have history to refer to. But they still experience the same hardships of the 1800s. What they have changed is the name of their organization, a trend borrowed from their European counter parts. What else do they borrow from them? Nothing. Yes, they attended the summit at the posh venues; arrive in posh, luxurious vehicles, expensive private jets like their European counter parts. They also dress in designer suits like them. But do they truthfully discuss the agenda like the Europeans? Do they look each other in the eye like brothers and sisters and ask the decisive question “why do you rape your country like you do?” Do they want Africa to reach self actualization?
History has shown that whatever is discussed at those summits is not about Africa. The agenda is surely about the personal profiles of those in attendance. You can not grapple with the agenda item ‘Terms of presidents in Africa’ for more you than sixty meetings. Or for that matter a simple agenda point like ‘The effects of tribal was in Africa; to discuss urgently.’ If those in attendance deliberated truthfully about the agenda then results would be felt and noticed throughout in Africa and the Diaspora.
Obama, it is disturbing that through all these summits one point which is glaringly obvious is that between Cape Town in South Africa and Cairo in Egypt there are no industrialized nations. Zilch! This point was not discovered yesterday, but probably the first OAU summit, even before South Africa was a member, realised this. The African heads of states, wherever they are, they are disputing this observation, as is their wont.

Obama, you are going to lead an industrialized nation. A nation that has no time to negate the truth because they are always aiming for the pinnacle of life and success. Don’t forget Africa. Teach her it is not always about the culture of dancing and singing praising the ruler. Teach them it is about the absolute truth about their success prosperity and happiness. Truth sir is always successful.














That they were told was against them refuted to analyze the truth. Without experimenting with the truth they would if they are in power, ruthless abuse those who cried for the truth.

It is safe and to the point to believe that during the meetings of the former OAU the truth was never discussed. And for that matter, to believe that the OAU promised Africa lies. The OAU it was made of the heads of all African states excluding among others South Africa. Move than half of those who used to attend were from countries with the worst famine in the, world. Some countries had child soldiers. In more countries you would experience tribal wars, lack of education gross unemployment, no economic planning, floundering business etiquette abuse of power and state resources and many other evils. Mankind, whatever color, knows what evil is, including heads of states. Therefore it was with hope that Africa viewed the unpandary OAU summit. It is all probable that there would be a furry of activity before such a summit officials would be scurrying around collecting facts, doing surveys busy with market research, analyzing markets at home an