Africa: The Testing Ground For Foreign Medicines

By Honourable Saka

"Depopulation should be the highest priority of (America’s) foreign policy towards the third world, because the US economy will require large and increasing amounts of minerals from abroad, especially from the less developed countries."
-- Henry Kissinger, National Security Study Memo 200, dated April 24, 1974.

Africa Is Vulnerable

Africans are in trouble. But the sad part is that the very people tasked with the responsibility to ensure the security of our food are not bothered about what is happening. Whether the food we eat is safe or not; whether the nature of chemicals our farmers have been spraying on crops are safe or not; nobody cares. From our leaders’ point of view, as long as there will be a bumper harvest and enough food for the people to eat, the health implications doesn’t really count. Therefore anytime other countries produce new medicines, they choose Africa as their testing ground.

What is even worrying is the fact that Africans, especially the leaders very are gullible. Any agreement which comes with ‘aid’, they will sign it. Therefore the entire African populace is the most vulnerable people in the world! They are vulnerable because they lack leaders who believe in the capabilities of their own people to solve Africa’s problems. Leaders have ridiculed their own experts. Indigenous technology and Africa’s potential that can solve the continent’s problems have been swept under the carpet. Africa therefore always depends on other countries for their survival. Our healthcare needs ‘aid’. Our educational system depends on aid. We need aid to build our presidential palaces. Sometimes even our leaders have to rely on aid to seek their own medical treatments abroad. Africa is indeed very vulnerable! It is however sad that leaders rather glorify themselves with these aid packages.

Anybody in doubt why Africa is vulnerable only has to package something little, call it ‘aid’ and bingo, leaders will embrace it without any hesitation. But remember; don’t forget to add a few dollar bills to the ‘aid’ package.  

Recently, upon realizing the rate at which diseases are spreading everywhere in Africa and the rate at which our people are dying younger, I have been wondering exactly what went wrong. Could there be some enemies of Africa out there who have manage to hijack our health system and the quality of our food, thereby holding our delicate lives to ransom? Definitely yes.

Do some foreign organizations really have any bad intentions for the “helpless” African people? Are some of them on rampage in Africa to destroy our society? Who is checking the actions of such people in Africa? Obviously there is none. After all, our media is only interested in democracy.

We are obsessed with elections and “democracy” to the extent that the health of the future generation is of less important. No wonder our leaders are always quick to jump on the next available flight for their medical check-ups abroad.

Here in Ghana, whenever you turn on your radio or TV sets, the only ‘useful’ discussions you can hear are about elections, politics and democracy while our healthcare system collapse.

Wiping Out a Gullible Generation: One ‘Aid’ At a Time

Anytime other countries produce new medicines, they choose Africa as their testing ground. They do so to find out if their medicines are effective or whether such medicines have some health implications. However, they often need to find a way to manipulate our leaders to embrace these produces. Therefore they term it “aid”. All sorts of dangerous medicines are being shipped to Africa on a monthly basis as and when medical research continues elsewhere. What is even worrying is the fact than a lot of such medicines are usually offered as ‘donations’ to poor Africans who cannot afford quality.

Various unscrupulous elements are having a field day everywhere in Africa. They have been distributing all sorts of medicines in the name of fighting malaria, tuberculosis, and cervical cancer among others. Some even call it anti-retro viral drugs, yet there are enough evidence which suggest that many of such drugs are actually causing more health implications to the recipients. Across many towns and villages in Africa, poor children are being ‘immunized’ against all sorts of diseases. Yet, nobody has taken the pain to examine the efficacy and the side effects of these so-called medicines. Our children are just dying as a  results of these.

What is more worrying is the fact that even when an epidemic finally breaks out as a result of this ‘immunization’ exercise, it doesn’t end there. These organizations will then come again with other ‘efficient’ drugs/medicines which they claim can help fight the very epidemic they have created.

Poor African children are therefore suffering from all forms of ‘strange disease’ (having received such medicines) whiles African leaders remain unperturbed. When will these immunization exercises stop? When will Africa’s medical experts be able to develop effective medicines for our own consumption? Why does Africa always have to rely on donations as the solution to our health pandemic? It is a pity that our leaders have no sense of worry about the rate at which others are spreading disease through this medium.

For those criminals who are parading themselves as NGOs and corporate entities, well, it doesn’t matter what their real intentions for the African people might be. Many of them have already succeeded in their determination to spread untold amount of diseases across the African continent. 

To many of us, the idea of using food (and now medicine) as a weapon is not new. In fact, history suggests that …

This is the major reason why Africa for instance still remains a colony for as long as the continent is not economically independent.

 “True individual freedom cannot exist without economic security and independence. People who are hungry and out of a job are the stuff of which dictatorships are made.” — Franklin Roosevelt

In current times, food is used as a weapon by those in power through the use of government regulations and chemical additives that destroy both people’s health and their bank account.

Hungry people will do anything for food, which means those who have control over food can use it as leverage. This is the major reason why foreign lobbyists who seeks a monopoly over so-called “improved seeds” are pressing hard to introduce genetically modified seeds (GMOs) across the African continent. They are sponsoring our politicians into office. They fund their campaigns and in return they demand our leaders to support their cause in the various countries.

GMOs In Africa: How Safe Are They?

Chemical additives, from pesticides to preservatives, can only be viewed as a weapon in the depopulation agenda. Clearly, laboratory-concocted chemicals were never meant for human consumption.  Therefore, they can only be attributed to an effort to deliberately and slowly poison the population”, writes Rady Ananda. Therefore why have such chemicals dominated the production of crops here in Africa? When will we begin to pay attention the health implications of these chemical that are absorbed into the food we eat?

It must be noted that Mercury, fluoride, etc are toxic in all its forms. Yet many canned foods, bottled water and others, which are shipped to Africa on a large scale contain such elements. In my next article, I will throw more light on some of these products and how such products are reducing the life span of the current African generation. Stay tuned on this platform for more updates later.

Honourable Saka

The writer is a Pan-African analyst and the founder of the Project Pan-Africa (PPA), an organization that was established to unlock the minds of the African people to take Africa’s destiny into their own hands. E-mail him on honourablesaka@yahoo.co.uk

Special Message To The African Youth On AU Day

African Pride

By Honourable Saka

"We have the blessing of the wealth of our vast resources, the power of our talents and the potentialities of our people. Let us grasp now the opportunities before us and meet the challenge to our survival. " Address to the National Assembly -Kwame Nkrumah, 26 March 1965.

Fellow Africans, today as we celebrate 50 years of the Organisation of African Unity (now called the African Union), l have a special message for the African youth. To the youth I say first of all, be proud of your African heritage and cherish your African identity. We need to constantly remind ourselves that the African way of life is beautify. We have a beautiful culture, glittering from the most enviable continent in world.

Our beautiful culture can be found in the quality of our indigenous food, our music, our dance, our fashion among others. Therefore the African youth must begin to see themselves as the most blessed people on the planet earth. For this reason, let us all say NO to any attempt to divide the African people at any time.

Let us UNITE and move Africa forward together, with the understanding that we are one African people with a common destiny. AFRICA IS OUR ONLY TRUE HOME and we got to do our best to make it the best place for our children. For this reason, hard work, positive self-esteem, confidence, pride (not to be confused with arrogance), and selflessness should be our hallmark. We the youth need to decolonize our minds and begin to accept the Africa’s current challenges as our opportunity to transform the continent for the future generation.

Across other parts of the world, young ones are working hard to put the development of their countries as their ultimate priorities. It is time for us in Africa to show such patriotic spirit. From this day, we the African youth must accept the fact that we are leaders and we ought to take the destiny of Africa into our own hands without waiting for any help to come from the East nor the West.

Today when I interact with many young Africans on the internet, I foresee a new generation young leaders who believe that something ought to be done in order to change the status quo. I commend the works of the many young African entrepreneurs who have in one way or the other contributed massively to create jobs that are helping in the fight against youth unemployment. For these efforts, whenever I look into the future of the continent, I see a continent booming with a lot of opportunities.

However, the road to the promise land is not going to be smooth. As hard as we may try to put the interest Africa first on the agenda, there is definitely going to be a lot of distractions, confusions and manipulations coming from all aspects. In spite of this, we the youth must not allow ourselves to be manipulated by any of these circumstances. Today, the media still remains the most powerful weapon in the world. The entertainment industry is waging a war against the African race. From scenes in moves, video clips, foreign fashion among others, attempts are being made to confuse the African youth to shun their African identity altogether and embrace alien culture.

Our movie industry is trying hard to portray the black woman as the most confused woman on earth. From bleaching cosmetics to indecent exposure, unnecessary sex scenes on our TVs among others, the minds of our African women are being programmed to see themselves as nothing more than sex objects.  From Brazilian hair to Chinese hair, Peruvian hair was how it started. Today we have pig hair, dog hair, horse hair, goat hair blonde hair, brunette hair everywhere. All these have been the result of media influence designed to confuse the minds of the young ones As a result, our own natural hairstyles have gone.

Sadly, the young men have not been spared either. They are seen wearing dog chains everywhere. Violent, barbaric and crime scenes have become the new standard for movies that air on our TVs. As far as I am concerned, there is nothing African about these. Indeed the war against the African race is getting more serious and it is time the youth realise that the challenges confronting us today are far too many for us to be distracted by external influences.

I am therefore calling on the African youth to open their eyes and see through the “clouds”. It is time to go back to our roots and realise the real beauty of Africa. For we all have a collective responsibility to ensure that the African pride which our forefathers shared with us today is duly preserved for the future generation.

As I write this, I'm sinking in the water of hope that Africa will be united and totally independent from mental slavery sooner or later.

Because today, many of the African children are still wondering: when will we stop crying ?when will we be free forever ? Oh mother Africa, you will shine one day sooner or later.

On this special day, I challenge the African youth to be proud of Africa and boldly show off their African pride. We must resist any attempt which seeks to confuse the minds of the young ones to feel inferior about their African identity.

While urging the African youth to remain focus and passionate about Africa on this great occasion, I also urge the entertainment industry to make every effort to promote the beauty of African culture to the outside world. The era of Africa’s inferiority complex must end.

Above all, let us all unite and contribute significantly to the development of Africa. Just as Nkrumah put it: the masses of the people of Africa are still crying for unity than ever.

Long live Africa

Long live the African diaspora.

Honourable Saka

The writer is a Pan-African analyst, anti-corruption crusader and the coordinator for the Project Pan-Africa. He can be reached on E-mail: honourablesaka@yahoo.co.uk

Can The Youth Save Africa From Neo-Colonialism?

Nkrumah wrestles power from colonial Britain, making Ghana and subsequently Africa free from colonial rule.

By Honourable Saka

In his book, “Neo-Colonialism The Last Stage of Imperialism”, (page11) Nkrumah cautioned:

'So long as Africa remains divided, it will therefore be the wealthy consumer countries who will dictate the price of its resources'.

I told you so! This appears to be the bitterness boiling up in the hearts of many Pan-African revolutionaries across the world as Africa gradually sinks into the pit of poverty whiles resources are been taken for peanuts on a daily basis.

Today, the dangers of Neo-colonialism have become so evident in Africa to the point where no further explanation is necessary. Africa, a continent which claims to be independent has allowed herself to be ordered around, always dancing to the tune of foreign “aid”. This is despite the fact that Dambisa Moyo, a Zambian economist and author of the book 'Dead Aid', has clearly demonstrated to our leaders that 'No nation has ever attained economic development by aid."

African leaders have over the years obeyed every instruction from the West, yet nothing has changed. We’re still indebted to the World Bank and the IMF more than it was 20 year ago. In spite of this, the African leader is not ready to change the old ways of doing things.

“To allow a foreign country, especially one which is loaded with economic interests in our continent, to tell us what political courses to follow, is indeed for us to hand back our independence to the oppressor on a silver platter”, (Kwame Nkrumah, 'Consciencism' pg.102).

The fact is, our founding fathers foresaw the dangers that come with our resolve to rely on the western world to solve all our problems for us. This problem has been compounded by the lack of unity among the African nations. 

After 50years, this statement has become the sad truth. There is no African single raw material on the international market whose price is determined by any of our leaders. It is now evidently clear that many of our African leaders don’t care whether the solutions to our economic challenges have been well-documented by the founding fathers or not.

It is therefore time for a revolution to seep aside these traitors for failing to act in our collective interest as African people.

A new generation of leadership is expected to rise up from among the youth with a determination to save mother Africa from the firm grip of neo-colonialism, political incompetence and corruption which is currently becoming the hallmark of modern African leadership.

Action Plan One: The Role Of the Youth

 “Earlier in life, I had discovered that if you want something, you had better made some noise”. - Malcolm X

It is clear that Africa still remains under-developed because many of the youthful talents that can transform the continent have been ignored for far too long. Nevertheless, this is not a reason for them to give up. It is time for the youth to start making some noise else the status quo will never change. Gather yourselves in front of the parliament buildings and in front of the various African embassies. March in your numbers towards the the stations of the various TV networks.

Whiles you’re there, continue to make noise and Rest Not until their voices are heard and your concerns addressed.

Finally, I therefore put forward action plan which must be followed in order to ensure that our search for a new generation of incorruptible leaders for the continent becomes a reality within the shortest possible time for the benefit of Mama Africa.

·         The African youth must first organise in small groups and create the platforms for dialogue and exchange of ideas.

·         The groups must identify and nominate highly incorruptible members as their leaders.

·         The groups must have power to remove from office, leaders identified to be corrupt.

·         Leaders of the various youth groups must link up and draw up a common agenda for the Youth Liberation Movement. All such agenda must focus on youth empowerment including a protest to remove the age-restricted political portfolios from our constitutions.

·         The Youth Liberation Movement must remain vocal in their communities, highlighting the challenges of the youth on any given platform.

·         It is ideal that the Youth Movement forms a political party solely dedicated to the needs of the youth.

·         Leaders of the Youth Movement can thus venture into the political terrain and stand up for the right of the youth. We need more young ones in parliament.

·         Where possible, no youth must vote for the old men but rather a candidate nominated from the political parties formed by the youth and dedicated to the youth.

If this is done, the youth can begin to make impact in African leadership and help wrestle power from the old men. It is time for the youth to begin ignoring the old men in elections and rather concentrate on such leaders born out of the Youth Revolutionary Movement who truly have the welfare of the youth at heart. This process if well implemented can help send a strong signal to the world that Africa is now ready for a new generation of revolutionary leaders dedicated to end corruption once and for all.

Honourable Saka

The writer is a Pan-African analyst and the founder of the Project Pan-Africa, an organisation established with the sole purpose of unlocking the minds of the African youth to take Africa’s destiny into their hands.  He can be reached on e-mail:honourablesaka@yahoo.co.uk.

African Unity Still a Mirage After 50 Years?

Dr Dlamini-Zuma of South Africa is the chairperson of the African Union Commission

By Honourable Saka

The Africa Union (AU) is 50 years old. Hurray! In the coming days, African leaders are expected to gather in Addis Ababa. Many of them will deliver speeches upon speeches, paying respect to the founding fathers of the organization. We will be reminded of how our forefathers fought hard to overthrow colonial regimes and established the Organization of African Unity (OAU) and how a successful AU has finally been established, though Africa still remains politically divided than before.

Ideally, one would expect that after such sessions, leaders will sign a declaration that will give a true meaning to the dreams of the founding fathers of the AU. However, knowing the kind of lip service often paid by modern African leaders, one can only assume that the 50^th anniversary celebrations will not be any different. The session may end as one of the usual “tea conferences” without any serious commitment to any of the following dream: politically united Africa, a common African market, a single currency, an African Central bank, a common foreign policy, a common defence system and a common citizenship amongst others.

Fifty years ago, our founding fathers outlined the following as key priorities (emphasis added): 

“We all want a united Africa, united not only in our concept of what unity connotes, but united in our common desire to move forward together .... Currently, Africa is clearly fragmented into too many small uneconomic and non-viable States, many of whom are having a very hard struggle to survive. An all-African planning body could take immediate steps towards the development of large scale industry and power; for the removal of barriers to inter-African trade; and for the creation of a central bank and the formation of a unified policy on ALL ASPECT of export control tariffs and quota arrangements. Among immediate needs are the manufacture in Africa of agricultural machinery of all kinds to speed up the modernisation of agriculture. We need supplies of reliable electric power for industrial growth. …The advantage of unified military and diplomatic policies, both for our own security and to achieve freedom for every part of Africa, is so obvious as to need no comment. Transport and communications are also sectors where a unified planning is needed. Roads, railways, waterways, air-lines must be made to serve Africa’s needs, not the requirements of foreign interests”. ~Kwame Nkrumah (Neo-Colonialism, excerpts from chapter 2).

It was against this background that the foundation of the African Union was established in May 1963. It was a time when many African states were gradually emerging from the firm grip of barbaric colonial regimes: regimes which were so wicked that Africans at some point had no choice but to rebel against their oppression. 

As a reminder to our generation, Patrice Lumumba puts it best in his first ever speech as Prime Minister of the Congo:

“Who will ever forget the shootings or the barbarous jail cells awaiting those who refused to submit to this (colonial) regime of injustice, oppression and intimidation?”

But how many of the African youth really know about the true history; how their forefathers shed their blood with the hope to achieve a truly free, united Africa?

Unfortunately, to many Africans, the fact that we do not know our history why the AU was established is not a big deal. After all, today we’re being oppressed by our own governments. We have surrounded ourselves with thick colonial borders. For 50 years, Africans have been waiting patiently for the day when like his European counterpart, he can also travel across the continent without been treated by immigration officials like complete strangers. 50 years ago it was said that “Transport and communications are also sectors where a unified planning is needed”. Therefore why couldn’t Africa adopt a unified custom policy that allows for the sharing of information to facilitate the swift movement of people, goods and services across borders?

Last year (2012), I remember in one of my discussions, titled: (“Intra-African Trade Is Possible But…”) I came up with the some recommendations which were dully copied to the AU and the Pan-African Parliament:

·         “Ideally, it would be more appropriate for African leaders to abolish the visa restrictions altogether so that all Africans can travel easily to any African territory without having to acquire a visa. This would make economic integration and intra-African trade more realistic, reliable and profitable since all the waiting times would be eliminated altogether.

·         In the meantime, African leaders must also consider the issuing of Regional Visas (Ecowas Visa, EAC Visa, SADC/COMESA Visa, etc) and abolish the individual country visas. This would also enable foreign investors/visitors the opportunity to visit many African countries on a single visa while avoiding all the long visa queues at the various African embassies. The European Union currently has such a system in place where citizens of the 'third world' can acquire the Schengen visa and travel to as many EU countries as possible”.

Some few weeks after these recommendations were sent; the Pan-African Parliament came out with more speeches, explaining how such a measure could help move the continent forward. Most importantly, even the AU’s theme for last year was “Boosting Intra-African Trade”. 

Yet, after one year of setting up various “committees for deliberations”, what happened to the above recommendations? Are these recommendations not worth implementation in our quest to boost Intra-African Trade? When will our leaders commit themselves to their own words and the very principles that will bring economic relief to our people?

Unfortunately, this is the very reason why we have failed to get to the promise land after 50 years. It is said that a people without a sound knowledge of their history are doomed to repeat it.

This is where we stand as a people. The solution to ALL our problems has been well-documented by our founding fathers for decades yet, we still have no idea what to do to move forward.

Indeed, Lumumba and his kind we fall short of today, but we will surely get there. It is just a matter of time. Many of such leaders were selfless leaders who paid the ultimate price with their lives to ensure a liberated Africa which is politically united as one people with a common destiny could become a reality in the shortest possible time. It was meant to ensure that Africa’s abundant resources could truly benefit her people.

Yet, after 50 years of haven paid the price, where is the United States of Africa? Why are the African people more divided today than it was 50 years ago? Do African leaders still believe African Unity is possible? What immediate steps are being taken to ensure the fulfilment of this dream?

Several years ago, America started as a dream to a few and dedicated people. Today, that dream is a reality. Since then, America has become a formidable force. If 300million Americans can rule the world, why cant 1.2billion Africans do likewise? It is basically because we are still divided and fighting among one another.

I strongly believe the dream of a United Africa can be made possible. All it takes are a generation of selfless and committed African leaders willing to take the initiative and put meanings into their speeches. If such bold steps could be taken today, we could get there in less than a decade.

Henry Ford puts it best: “Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you are right”.

Like any other revolution, indeed getting to the promise land of a One Africa, One People, is not going to be an easy task. But the bottom line is, it is possible. We simply need our leaders to believe that African Unity is POSSIBLE, it is the right decision and it’s long overdue!  

Kwame Nkrumah puts it: “Revolutions are brought about by men, who think as men of action and act as men of thought.”

Africa needs more men of action. We need a new generation of positive thinkers who are ready to practice what they preach. Most importantly, we need leaders who possess the ‘can do’ spirit. The era when we thought Africans are not capable must cease. For there is nothing good we can achieve if we continue to see one another as strangers on our motherland. Unity is a must and we do not expect anything less after the celebration of the 50^th anniversary of AU. We are one people, belonging to one African family. Allowing some colonial boundaries to deny us the freedom to move together as one people with one economic vision, makes a mockery of the AU’s image.

Some books written by Kwame Nkrumah, not found in African bookshops and libraries

 It is highly recommended that the African youth must read Kwame Nkrumah’s book titled: “Neo-Colonialism, the Last Stage of Imperialism”. This is where we currently stand. Leaders and African policy makers are equally encouraged to consult this book. If this is done, the dream of economically independent Africa would be a reality.

Long live the African people.

Long live the African Union that must be.

Honourable Saka (honourablesaka@yahoo.co.uk) is the project coordinator for the Project Pan-Africa, an organization that was established to unlock the minds of the African people to take their destinies into their own hands. He is a Political Activist and Anti-Corruption Campaigner.