The death Saturday night (08/02/25) of Sam Nujoma, the first president of independent Namibia in Southern Africa must have set Africa thinking. Incumbent Namibian President, Nangolo Mbumba has been reported by the Associated Press as equating it with shake in the foundation of the nation. “The foundations of the Republic of Namibia have been shaken,” is the actual quote.
A glimpse of that generation
Nujoma and Castro
He could have equally said that the foundation of Africa has been shaken. For Nujoma would certainly belong to the generation of African leaders that held out, with dignity even in relative poverty.
On a random note, the list would come up like this: Abdel Gamal Nasser, Kwame Nkrumah, Julius Nyerere, Milton Obote, Modibbo Keita, Sekou Toure, Mandela, Machel and so on.
The last of them is Robert Mugabe. The Western establishment rubbished him for daring to redistribute lands appropriated by the British colonialists. Today, it is South Africa that has been slated for demonising for the same reason. It is doubtful if Cyril Ramaphosa can easily be demonised out of land redistribution in the current configuration of the world.
Ramaphosa at last week’s ‘State of the Nation’. He is squaring up with Trump as well as Kagame over DRC
Kagame of Rwanda: still difficult to categorise
It is cheering to note that Thabo Mbeki and Olusegun Obasanjo stood considerably behind Mugabe in that impasse although Obasanjo had to drop out towards the end. But Obasanjo was quite forceful in solidarity with Mugabe. Apart from sending his first foreign minister, Sule Lamido, on so many private trips to Harare, he took up the issue valiantly at the level of the Commonwealth.
It will be difficult to pinpoint legatees of that generation on the continent today. Paul Kagame of Rwanda is cited for delivering development. His admirers say to hell with human rights. After all, in the past, neither human rights nor development were delivered by the Mobutus, Kamuzu Bandas, the Bokassas, the Nguemas, the Idi Amins, the Eyademas and a host of them who pocketed their countries and ruled with iron hands.
For that reason, Paul Kagame could enter the hall of fame but for that to happen, he may have to acquit himself of the carnage in the DRC which the Rwandan backed M23 forces are perpetrating.
Can Abiy of Ethiopia enter this list? Isn’t Senegal too early to talk about? Is the leadership in Burkina Faso doing all that he is said to be doing? Questions! Questions and Questions!
It might be difficult to find up to three on the list. So sad! Where does the foregone leaves us? Time to reflect again on what transpired in the last 70 years and where that has left Africa?
