Pan-Africanism Starts At Home: On the Abuse of Togolese Citizens

Two young citizens named Waze Blaise and Issifou Abirou were recently arrested in Togo. Their crime was using TikTok to criticize the Togolese regime. These arrests reflect the broader issue of the suppression of rights in Togo. Togo is a nation where protests are routinely banned. Those who speak out are often targets of abuse, such as Waze Blaise and Issifou Abirou are.

I have written several articles now in which I have criticized the upcoming 9th Pan-African Congress being hosted in Togo. In my view, this is an act of opportunism on the part of a repressive regime which is seeking to use Pan-Africanism to improve its public image. The arrest of these two young citizens is further proof of my point, which is that the regime in Togo does not truly care about Pan-Africanism. How can a regime which routinely abuses its own citizens truly care about Africans outside of Togo’s colonially imposed borders?

Those of us who are truly committed to the renewal of Pan-Africanism must continue to denounce these actions on the part of the Togolese regime and we must continue to stand with the people of Togo as they struggle against the violations of their rights.