In 1979, the world recorded the change of a formidable US ally; the Shah of Iran. It was the year of the Velayat; the Iranian revolution. The Ayatollahs came to the scene and ever since had controlled events in Tehran. America is a country where all wounds are new. She hasn't forgiven the Ayatollahs not to talk of forgetting the outlining events in the American Embassy Hostage and the botched rescue mission. Iran has always been in the red book of terrorism after these events. The American spy; Israel follows the step of his special sponsor, tagging Iran as her number one enemy in the Middle East; at least, Saddam is dead.

During the Iran-Iraq war (1980-1988), America gave heavy weapons and artilleries to Saddam Hussein of Iraq; weapons the latter only used a fraction and kept the most sophisticated. Part of these weapons were used to bomb Israel during the Iraq-Kuwait war. Rather than retaliation, the US paid billions of dollars to Israel to calm the tension so a decisive blow can be done to Saddam and his arsenal. It paid off. Saddam was defeated and a UN inspection team was sent to check his arsenal. He cooperated a little and later sent the team packing. Old wounds are new; George Bush finally dismantled the arsenal America assisted Saddam to assemble in the infamous Coalition of the Willing attack in 2003.

Iran refused to learn. Saddam was not directly immediately attacked. It started from sanctions to make the economy crumble, then gradually there was a gateway for a military assault. Ahmadinejad and Khamenei know full well that they exist in the midst of enemies whose battleships and warheads lie across the Strait of Hormuz. Why trading fisticuffs when your economy is right in front of their warheads? Though Iran has complete access to a nuclear technology and by extension a nuclear weapon, the irresponsibilty of the Ayatollahs and the Iranian leaders over the years blurr all prospects of support.

One good thing about Iranians is that they are good thinkers. Very thoughtful Persians who love the Beautiful Persian Cat and will not want its death and demise, hence they are conscious of any Libyan-like or Syrian-like revolt. Just as US and NATO lied over the No-fly zone in Libya and Gaddafi's death is giving Assad's Syria a chance to breath, Iraq's lies and Saddam's death is giving Ahmadinejad's Iran the dim prospect of an eventual attack. The world waits.

A continent of diverse people co-existing in relative peace with occasional warfare. Each season for a reason. Wars were not fought during the raining seasons as everyone would, as a matter of rationalism go back to the farms. No Lakhdar Brahimi to negotiate a truce or seek a ceasefire. No failed attempt by a Kofi Annan at that time. Africa was traditionally pragmatic; a reasonable diversed whole. As a King no matter how powerful you were, the will of the people once it was a unanimous whole must prevail over you. When African women were so famous; German women had locks on their private parts (around the 16th century) placed there by the men to prevent them from having sexual affinity with other men; barbarism.

Then came the transfer of the able-bodied down to Europe. An exploration and exploitation by the Europeans corroborated by African Kings and Chiefs though the Tarikh and many accounts not excluding Western accounts have proven that many of the slaves were got through raids and kidnappings. These too had African mercenaries anyway. The continent was depopulated and the best account of this can be got from nowhere else than Walter Rodney's 'How Europe Underdeveloped Africa.' Then came colonialism which finally launched Africa into the web of the International Economic Cabal; ably and jealously guided by the IMF and IBRD (World Bank) and guarded by NATO. Some Africans resisted colonialism but those successfully bribed came to protect the mission as in the slave trade.

All these are just background knowledge. The most nauseating and atrociously nauseous in all is that, African Kings and Chiefs were bribed with rums majorly and many demanded that more rums should be brought in exchange for slaves; their own people and blood. The same Africans and the newly created half-baked and half-literate ones also began drinking massively profusely during colonialism. During these two eras, the body exploitation of chastised 'holy skins'; the African women were launched. Rums and prostitution were ubiquitous. Suddenly, colonialism came crashing and power was transfered but 'The Rum Theory' never ended. Leaders became drunk with alcoholic power while followers became immersed and drunk in beer. Go to any little space; the people are drunk with either ethnicity and tribalism, religion, power or beer.

The youths who are meant to rise now at this critical time are more than drunk with all these. They have been co-opted into the system and relegated to the background to always dream backwards; to how their continent was formerly powerful. Almost none dream into the future. Drunk memory in ethnicity and tribalism, power, greed, corruption and beer is now the order. If we refuse to unite now, we will be remembered as a generation with most facts at its disposal but with myopic thoughts. We will be fulfilling the aphorism; children of smart phones but stupid brains and acts.

Africa: The Road Not Taken

The 60’s and 70’s opened a diverse road to an emerging world major power. The continent of Africa had the best prospects of becoming a great global influence. Immediately the transfer of power was done from the colonial masters to the indigenous political elites, the newest forms of woes and throes had their foundations in class struggle, greed, corruption, irresponsible leadership, docile followership and myopic plans with strategies. Succinctly, Africa’s present morass and quagmire has been planted long before now in conjunction with foreign powers with their nefarious whims and caprices.

The youths who are to be the future of the continent have been dragged and co-opted into the circle of corrupt practices. It should be noted this day and always that the only future the continent has lies in the hands, shoulders and brains of the de-tribalised and ethnically unconscious youths. A united front must from now, as a matter of urgent necessity, be sought and established for the virile future we all clamour for.