I apologise to my faithful readers for my long absence from this platform. After more than seven years of writing this column, it was necessary to take a break. Now fully refreshed, I look at our world from a different perspective.
You will agree with me that the world is in decline. Recent breakthroughs in technology such as Artificial intelligence (AI) and other amazing innovations are rapidly advancing the human race at a pace never before seen in our collective history. However, it seems, as we make greater advances towards an easier future, the more we regress as a society.
Nations and their developmental status or economic classification no longer define safety. Whether you live in a developed country or a third world nation, inflation, war, terrorism, gun violence, youth restiveness, corruption and inept political leadership are mutual problems. Gun violence is as much a daily occurrence in the United States as it is in Brazil, Australia, Nigeria or Pakistan. America is not safer than Iran, Afghanistan or Russia. It used to be “God’s own country” but not anymore.
Its greatest adversary, Russia, is currently embroiled in conflict with itself and its neighbour. The country’s aggression against Ukraine is threatening to obliterate that country from the world map. Although the United States and its NATO allies are trying to prevent the destruction of Ukraine, nobody can say with perfect certainty that Russia would be humiliated in the end. My take on this is that, even if Ukraine wins this war, it would be at a stupendous cost in terms of material and human loss to this great country.
Sudan, which split into two not long ago after a brutal civil war with its southern brethren, is being torn apart by another needless civil war. That country may self-destruct if this war does not end quickly. The world is definitely in a spin.
Niger Republic, Nigeria’s poor neighbour up north, has just announced a coup at the time of this writing. Other nations in Africa, Asia, Latin America, Europe and North America, we are all living on the edge of eruptions that might happen anytime. It almost looks as if the world is tilting towards implosion.
When I watch the television today I reminisce about early Nigeria. The ’60s and ’70s were a glorious period for my country. Its civil war ended in 1970 and our nation quickly went through a healing process and providentially experienced an oil boom.
Unfortunately, the proceeds of the oil boom were not invested wisely. Our economy consequently suffered and the country has been struggling ever since. From the ’80s till now, Nigeria has been wobbling and stumbling through a series of crises.
Our polity has degenerated so badly to almost unimaginable levels of decay. At the turn of the century in the year 2000, the lofty objectives of the Millennium Development Goals that we so gleefully embraced can no longer be traced in our development landscape.
At the root of all these is the mismanagement of nations by incompetent and selfish political leaders. In all countries across the world, the promotion of religion and ethnicity as tools of political contest continues to create toxic social environments that inevitably plunges nations into strife and instability.
How can we retake our world from evil politicians who seem to habitually thrive in chaos and confusion? How come we even vote for politicians who offer nothing but division? The world has lost its sense of rage, ethical morality and propriety. The conscience of the just is dying or yielding to Satan and his devices.
Putin, meanwhile, has met with African leaders in St. Petersburg, Russia, where he offered to donate grains to six African countries, following the collapse of the Ukraine grains export deal.
The objective of this meeting was to counter Western influence in Africa and sell the Russian position on the Ukraine conflict to the African countries. Putin doesn’t rule out any mediation initiative from Africa. Glad to know that the African Union wants a ceasefire to this needless war in which Russia is clearly the aggressor. Putin certainly overreached himself by invading Ukraine.
That said, African leaders must rid the continent of conflicts. Flashpoints like the Horn of Africa, in this case Ethiopia, Somalia, Sudan and parts of the Sahel region like Chad, Mali and now Niger, which have come under military rule owing to economic instability, require urgent intervention by multilateral donor agencies to prevent humanitarian crises in those vulnerable countries. Africa needs help because it is the weak link in a fast changing world where rising cost of living crisis is biting hardest.
Crises elsewhere impact negatively on our continent because of the low level of economic development and the consequent coups and counter-coups that undermine internal cohesion.
In other climes like Haiti, where gang violence and the mob are struggling with constituted authority for power, a world power like the United States has not been able to do much to restore order, even though that country is at its doorstep. America is watching helplessly as Haiti is being run down by anarchists.What a shame!
•Ayodeji, author, pastor and life coach, can be reached on 09059243004 (SMS, WhatsApp and email: [email protected] only)