By Olakunle Agboola – President Emmanuel Macron accused Russia of feeding anti-French propaganda in Africa to serve “predatory” ambitions in troubled African nations, where France has suffered military setbacks and a wider loss of influence over recent years.
It is attested that the French colonial encounter in West Africa is driven by commercial interests and, perhaps to a slighter degree, a civilizing mission. By the close of the Second World War, the colonized peoples of French West Africa were making their dissatisfaction with the colonial system trapped. As of the 21st century, one could ask how France retained the largest military presence in Africa of any former colonial power.
France over the years has maintained a tight stranglehold in Francophone Africa to serve its interests and maintain a last clinch of colonial prestige. France has been accused severally of forcing African countries to give preference to French interests and public bidding. It has been discussed by many concerned Africans why France has not stopped exercising unhealthy and willy-nilly control of African resources, weakening economic activities through colonial entanglement.
According to the BBC, former Italy’s Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio once said that France is one of those countries that print money for 14 African states, preventing their economic development. Also, he made mention of France contributing to Francophone Africans leaving for greener pastures abroad, traveling through deserts, and dying in the process of crossing the Mediterranean Sea to the coasts. His remarks reveal the darkest side of France.
The French colonizers believed that they were superior and tried to forcefully assimilate others into their own culture with the stated aim of “civilizing” people. However, their focus was to gain ground in the competition for raw materials, pursue new international markets and increase their global influence – the same reasons other Western colonialist powers brought cruelty, disease, starvation, underdevelopment, and more to its colonized nations.
Millions of people have suffered under brutal French policies, igniting racial, religious, and ideological turmoil, thus causing clashes among the people. When there is war, it is of advantage to French Colonizers whose focus is on Mineral resources, taking a large sum of money from Africa every year to Paris.
This is arguably defined as neo-colonialism which is based upon the principle of breaking up former large united colonial territories into several small non-viable States, which are incapable of independent development and must rely upon the former imperial power for defense and even internal security.
African leaders and youths are not backing down but speaking up against the adverse effect of French policies, and dominance in francophone Africa. French President Emmanuel Macron in recent years is doing a hard job of coming up with fresh policies by acknowledging the shortcomings of traditional French policy toward Africa.
This is made known in his recent visit to Africa touring Gabon, Angola, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. He pointed out that France must abandon its arrogant stance, show profound humility toward Africa, and develop a mutual and responsible relationship with all African countries.
African observers believe that President Macron is only playing with words and do not expect a fundamental change. Also, they attested that Macron made similar remarks during his previous visits and his statements have never resulted in policy implementation. They concluded that Macron’s speech is a public relations activity aimed at making him look good in the eyes of many Africans.
France and other Western countries have realized that it is becoming difficult to maintain their influence on the continent if they are not working towards abandoning the policies of exploitation of African resources or supporting autocratic regimes. They know it is not going to be business as usual as they now have strong rivals, such as China, Russia, and India, which in recent times are showing interest in African mineral resources through consensual relationships.
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