It will be the New Year in a couple of days. Happy New Year to all who would be receiving 2025.
It is indeed the right thing to do to wish this suffering world of ours and its inhabitants a really happy time ahead as 2024 has been anything but a year of smiles and serenity. It wouldn't be an exaggeration that it is in fact leap years away from the world much of the eight billion in it would have liked it to be.
We use the term "much of" because we are in times when forces who profit from chaos and complete breakdown of law and order seem to be navigating the steering wheel in many parts of the world. And they seem to be doing all their best to make things get even worse with especially the armed conflicts in many parts of the world. Wars and raging armed conflicts while hurting and decimating those involved are cash cows for the darker forces of the world.
Africa, unfortunately, and there are many who argue 'by design', finds embroiled in all sorts of problem. So what does this New Year has in store for the fifty-plus countries of Africa? Isn't that a million dollar question? Believe me the mainstream media and politicians who are as dumb about the realities of Africa would tell you things would get worse. Why? Because Africa has ever been a hopeless place where nothing is done right!"
In his book 'Africa: Altered States, Ordinary Miracles' Richard Dowden describes the image of Africa the mainstream media paints; "...we have no other ideas of Africa, no sense of ordinary Africa. Persistent images of starving children and men with guns have accumulated into our narrative of the continent: Africans are gun-toting, mindless warriors or hopeless, helpless victims who can do nothing for themselves, doomed to endless poverty violence and hunger. Only foreign aid and foreign aid workers can save them. The endlessly repeated images of guns, oppression hunger and disease, create the impression that this is all that ever happens in Africa"
Is the world really concerned about the real progress and wellbeing of this continent of ours? Are the words where in many international forums the almost footnoted comments of wishes for a more developed and peaceful Africa really heartfelt? And who make such comments put their actions where their words are? Now generalizing in such matters would be carpet bombing, an indiscriminate one too, and that does no good to any side. There indeed are those who think and wish all the best for Africa and would have done what they can had they the means and ability to do so. After all despite all the unrealistic and deliberately crafted chaos happening in many places this world still has the soft-hearted souls who still cherish humanity and act in humane ways.
But then many times than not acts of compassion and serenity are overshadowed as the long hands of the dark forces of this world are stretched left and right creating chaos where there was none and making things worse where there is one. Of course chaos comes in many forms not only in armed clashes. There are the economic problems, cultural problems, societal problems and others all of which are designed to ensure that life would never be anywhere to near normal in this part of the world.
The western media loves using the phrase "the International community..." talking about many issues. "The international community condemns the actions of..." "The international community should levy sanctions on..." Now we don't need to rack our brain trying to solve the puzzle behind the term "the international community..." International community! Sorry, but one thing is that there would be many who would shoot back "What international community?" the fact is that when media and politicians talk of the intentional community having the same stand on certain outstanding, global issue, especially when the issues are about condemning one side or another in a certain dispute or putting some sort of sanctions. One thing is sure; many times especially Africa seems to be anywhere near that community.
Africa is a continent of fifty four independent, sovereign countries each of which have own unique politics, culture, social norms and what have you. But then, the media and politicians of the West seem to have this tendency of describing as just another country. When someone goes to a certain African country they wouldn't usually tell the name of the particular country and simply say, "So and so has gone to Africa..." How often do you find reading about an American VIP going to France and the news flash being, "So and so has gone to Europe..." or something like that?
There is no denying the fact that Africa still faces numerous problems internal and external. It has to shoulder the blame for unsolved problems which could have been solved internally without the unwanted and undesired meddling of third parties. But then, the fact is that there are external forces which would work mostly behind the scenes so that Africans would not talk among themselves and solve their own problems. This is not trying to put the blame on others. But with the progress of technology and it becoming difficult to take the whole world for a ride things supposed to be unreachable and untouchable could come out to the surface in the most unexpected of ways. Yes there are those who wouldn't want us to plug our own holes and stitch our own slits and slashes. But all said the responsibility initially falls on Africans to tend to their own problems and that should be the way forward.
Richard Dowden writes in the book mentioned earlier; "...aid agencies, Western celebrities, rock stars and politicians cannot save Africa, only Africans can develop Africa." 2025 should be a time of reckoning for our continent as the world elsewhere is changing at a pace which, down the line, would be difficult to catch up with.
-Look after Yourselves!
HIM: - Why am I not surprised at seeing you? Or, wait a minute, I shouldn't be surprised.
Me:- I didn't expect You to be surprised at all. I come at any and all times and there could be no reason for any surprise. The last thing I would want to see is for You being surprised at my actions or inactions.
HIM: - No, you aren't getting my point. I acknowledge you could come even at the most unexpected of time sometimes making me a little bit surprised, even startled. But this time I think things are a little different.
Me:- I couldn't think of any reason for You to think this time is any different from the other times.
HIM: - Ok, I think I better get straight to the point. Tell me; did you come to wish Me a Happy New Year?
Me:- No, that was not at all in my plans. How could I be the one to wish You a happy New year! Indeed the one thing I thought of is to hear You wishing me, my family and all Ethiopians a really Happy New Year; we need it, and we deserve it.
HIM: - You might need it; but forget about you deserving it. Why should I wish you, especially you, anything having to do with a New Year?
Me:- You know the problems we are in; you know that we are not having a good time and life doesn't seem to be nice to us. I would have thought this is the time when you would wish us well.
HIM: - That's what I am saying. Why should I wish you a Happy New Year when it is none for your business celebrating another calendar's New Year?
Me:- I couldn't believe I'm hearing what you're saying. I never thought your anger at us has reached such levels.
HIM: - Here we go again; here we go again! I was trying in the most innocent of terms and you're already trying to play that victim mentality. All I was saying is that you already had your own new year and why should you have another one three months and a half into years.
Me:- But this New Year is internationally celebrated and we should also join the crowd.
HIM: - Did you say internationally! How can you tell that?
Me:- I see many such posts on YouTube.
HIM: - Don't tell me this You Tube thing is your best source of information.
Me:- Well, though it's not my best source I have to admit I find many interesting topics that attract me and I see no reason turning my back on that social media platform.
HIM: - I didn't say anything about you turning your back; did I?
Me:- No you didn't.
HIM: - You know one thing that bothers me about you people is!
Me:- "What's it?"
HIM: - Sorry for saying it. But for some reason you people never seem to tell things as they actually are. Always, or many times you have to add something here, something there and you paint different pictures of things far from what they actually look. Am I wrong? I mean am I accusing of you people about things of you aren't doing?
Me:- Absolutely not! You are saying that already seems to have become part of our nature.
HIM: - Are you saying that from deep your heart or is that your way of softening Me!
Me:- No, I am not trying to softening you. I assure you that would be something I'll never try to do. Especially not on You!
HIM: - Ok; Ok! Go on with what you were saying.
Me:- I was saying that most of us seem to have developed this habit of trying to exaggerate...
HIM: - ...and sensationalize;
...and sensationalize anything we say so that people would believe us.
HIM: - Has it ever downed on you that by giving others wrong information you might bring harm on them? You might even bring damage to their lives?
Me:- It's that we think of only making what we say believable and the thing you say about harming the lives of others seldom come to us.
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HIM: - Now I'm really surprised. You know though you readily admit the wrongs and mistakes you people commit knowingly or otherwise today you have crossed all the lines. By lines I mean many times you also had the tendency of putting part of the blame on others, but this time you didn't do that. Maybe, just maybe, wishing you people a Happy New Year wouldn't hurt, would it?
Me:- "No it wouldn't.
HIM: - But, till now we haven't brought u the reason why you're here. You said it was not to wish Me a Happy New Year. So there must be some other reason.
Me:- Well, I just wanted to ask You...well, will their really be a Third World War?"
HIM: - A what!
Me:- A Third World War.
HIM: - I can't believe you're asking Me such a question. How in the world would I know that! Do I look like some four-star general or admiral?
Me:- Sorry if I have offended you.
HIM: - It is not you offending me. I just wondered being asked such a question. Do you think I'd have anything to do with a Third World War or whichever war?
Me:- It's me. I should have thought twice before skiing you such a question. Me and my big mouth!
HIM: - Come on I'm not suggesting anything like that. Ok forget it. But what makes you so worried about a Third World War starting.
Me:- All we see point to that direction. Few are talking about peace and most of us are talking about war, war and more war! It is as if some war virus has infected much of the world's population. Look for example at the Ukraine/Russia war where they about a million lives have been lost. Look at the Middle East especially Gaza, Lebanon and now Syria where tens of thousands are dead and are dying. There are places where armed conflicts even full out wars could start anytime. Seeing all this many of us believe the Third World War is only a matter of time.
HIM: - Well, I sympathize with your worry; and I have to tell you it is not Me or anyone else but you down there who could stop it from happening. I hope next time you come we'd have more positive talk. You guys look after yourselves.
Me:- Thanks! We will! We indeed will!
