Tribalism?.. a Nationalists nightmare

Ugly things happen in beautiful places.
Sure enough.

This year again, as with the years preceding it, pointless conflicts across sub Saharan Africa has overshadowed any progress that we may otherwise have heard about.
Religious or political....the absurdity of it all. AU conference after AU conference yet still... resolutions, even if made, are barely worth the paper they're written on
There are possibly more aid agencies on the continent than any other part of the world. A vast array of 'developmental' projects' in progress, and yet 'progress' remains slow, if not stagnant.
Where do we go from here?.

Tribalism over nationalism is responsible for and is, an obstacle to, progress.
How on earth can you unite a divided country if its people fail to see that perhaps they are stronger together than separate
Tell that to tribal chiefs, and I suspect you'll get a blank stare. ( and an angry one at that)

Personally, It's the question I'm asked the most. It's almost as if my answer will determine whether or not I am worthy of further exploration. 'Where are you from.. are you Fulani?.. are you Somali?.. Senegalese;?
yes yes and yes.. now F**k off ( is what I should say but am way to polite to)

There is a reason I'm asked this, but rest assured... it's steeped in a held belief in the back of the questioners mind

I'm sure it has its benefits ( tribalism) but as yet, from the outside looking in, it seems counter productive.
The worst cases include the genocide in Rwanda, Liberia, Sierra Leone . Whilst the conflicts that emerged did not begin as a result of tribalism, they very quickly descended down that road in terms of ethnic or regional or political alliances

Yet, trust, my hopeful friends, after conflict, can be restored.

Somehow Rwanda seems to have managed it.
But who knows.. after all, what's on the surface is not always what lurks beneath
Perhaps dissent really isn't worth the risk, so... put up and shut up.. who knows.

The icing on this multi-layered cake, as if there wasn't enough absurdity, is that the Biafra movement appears to be growing [click]
As if Nigeria didn't have enough problems
Ok, I'll refrain from being too opinionated until I've heard more, but so far.... I guess the memory of the civil war isn't painful enough?

Political leaders have let the people down again.
'The people', continue to let themselves down...and the educated continue to exploit the uneducated.

I used to be quite scathing of China's 'investment' in Africa. But you know something?
The Chinese are doing business.
Whosoever wants to sell their land, or continue to allow their country to be raped of its natural resources and mineral wealth whilst the bulk of the population struggle.. is certainly free to make that choice... and they make it knowing full well what the outcome will be.
After all...these ( leaders) are far more educated people than me

But, ever the optimist .. It is my hope and belief that in the new year things will improve. That perhaps a new crop of leaders will emerge that will bring a whole new vision of hope, and fulfilled promises to the land we all love so much.

As I said.. ugly things happen in beautiful places..
and that remains true there, and elsewhere. But yes, beautiful things happen too

From one angle, it would appear the year has been dominated by news of a rise in extremism Ebola and later on Donald Trump.
Funny really

For me? The best thing to emerge from the continent this year in my opinion has been the music.
Yes, by a country mile.

And for us 'Brits'... it wouldn't hurt to grab a book on Britishness and swot up [click]

Especially if you look like me... born here?.. for heavens sake.. just don't lose your passport... who knows where we're heading!