Africa today; Do we need a third revolution for human rights?

[Dr Adam Francis]

It is indisputable fact that colonial powers misused states agencies to torture, subdue and plunder our countries. These observations as bad as they were, they were no less of what was expected out of colonialism because their agenda was that of exploitation. Freedom fighters across the continent as they were rallying for independence they compaigned against these atrocities.
Post independence the question remains, are state agencies no longer instruments of oppression? Take for instance, fabricated charges, unlawful arresting, abductions, extrajudicial killing and opposition crackdown are not only a common narrative but the order of the day in most parts of postcolonial Africa. It is becoming obvious that in most African countries independence probably did not mean independence in its true sense but lather a project to replace white oppression in the name of colonialist by black oppression in the name of ruling class. In face of status quo, the promise of equality of men, civil rights and fairness to justice guranteed in our sacred documents remains to be a dream that never came true.
Moreover the wounds and scars born of systematic segregation and inequality, kills the spirit of national unit and is a recipe for civil disobedience. In as much as partisan nepotisms and intolerance to opposition continues to grow, the more divided our societies become hence risking hatred and civil unrest.
In precolonial erra our struggles were for independence, early post colonial our struggles were against neocolonialism. Given the state of Africa today, I wonder whether we need a third revolution for human rights across the continent. To me this looks to be a top priority agenda that ruling parties across the continent if were to take advantage of their being in power to spearhead; Indeed it could have awarded them huge political benefit and improve their public approval rates for good.

 

[Retired]

It is indisputable fact that colonial powers misused states agencies to torture, subdue and plunder our countries. These observations as bad as they were, they were no less of what was expected out of colonialism because their agenda was that of exploitation. Freedom fighters across the continent as they were rallying for independence they compaigned against these atrocities.
Post independence the question remains, are state agencies no longer instruments of oppression? Take for instance, fabricated charges, unlawful arresting, abductions, extrajudicial killing and opposition crackdown are not only a common narrative but the order of the day in most part of postcolonial Africa. It is becoming obvious that in most African countries independence probably did not mean independence in its true sense but lather a project to replace white oppression in the name of colonialist by black oppression in the name of ruling class. In face of status quo, the promise of equality of men, civil rights and fairness to justice guranteed in our sacred documents remains to be a dream that never came true.
Moreover the wounds and scars born of systematic segregation and inequality, kills the spirit of national unit and is a recipe for civil disobedience. In as much as partisan nepotisms and intolerance to opposition continues to grow, the more divided our societies become hence risking hatred and civil unrest.
In precolonial erra our struggles were for independence, early post colonial our struggles were against neocolonialism. Given the state of Africa today, I wonder whether we need a third revolution for human right across the continent. To me this looks to be a top priority agenda that ruling parties across the continent if were to take advantage of their being in power to spearhead; Indeed it could have awarded them huge political benefit and improve their public approval rates for good.

We actually need intensive civil wars more than what we needed during independence struggle