The Problem with Armchair Pan-Africanism: A Response to Horn of Africa Leftists
It was recently brought to my attention that Horn of Africa Leftists is back to denouncing me again. This time it’s due to my position on Senegal. As usual, I have decided to write this article as a response because I believe my response will help to offer some valuable lessons in the proper approach to Pan-African organizing.
In the first place, there is the allegation that Farida Nabourema is a pro-State Department activist. Horn of Africa Leftists has made this charge several times, but has yet to offer evidence to support this accusation. There is no evidence because the accusation is false. I know for a fact that it is false because I’ve worked with Farida on the issue of American support for the dictatorship in Togo. Horn of Africa Leftists has no actual experience working on the issue of American foreign policy towards Togo, so their commentary on the matter has always come from a place of being uninformed.
Horn of Africa Leftists’ lack of real experience or involvement in anything is really at the core of the problem. They are a group that offers empty Marxist-Leninist rheotric as a substitute for real engagement and work. On the issue of Togo, Horn of Africa Leftists never seems to offer support for the Togolese people or even criticism for the regime there. When the group does mention Togo, it is only to criticize myself or Farida. They have no real interest in Togo or analysis of Togo’s situation beyond this.
This brings me to the main issue at focus here, which is Senegal. Horn of Africa Leftists takes issue with the fact that during the electoral crisis in Senegal, I was involved to support the Senegalese people against Macky Sall who had resorted to delaying elections and killing protesters to remain in power. I have no regrets for doing so. In my view, Macky Sall had overstayed his time in power and needed to leave.
The outcome was that Sall was removed and Bassirou Faye was elected. Faye is definitely a more moderate figure than the leaders of the AES are and I don’t think anyone had any illusions about this. I don’t think anyone was expecting Faye to be the second coming of Thomas Sankara. I certainly was not. Even so, under Faye’s leadership we have seen the gradual removal of the French military presence from Senegal, which is a most welcomed development there. I still see Faye as being preferable to Sall. Of course, this is subject to change. Africa is no stranger to leaders reversing position. The same could be stated of the AES leaders as well. What I do know is that Horn of Africa Leftists is not doing anything to reduce any Western military presence in Africa, so in a sense Faye has already accomplished more in the way of decolonizing Africa than Horn of Africa Leftists has done.
As is often the case with the armchair Pan-Africanists, Horn of Africa Leftists had no involvement in the crisis in Senegal. They were content to watch the chaos unfold in Senegal without acting in any way to support the people of Senegal. It’s only after the fact that they are now trying to engage in commentary on Senegal. We don’t need Pan-Africanists to be waiting on the sidelines to offer their armchair commentary. We need involvement.
