The death of Queen Elizabeth II a few weeks ago on the 8th of September 2022, may have gathered global attention but in the process, also brought about the reopening of some old wounds, one of which was the colonialism in Africa and the issue of reparation.
As a system of control which was chiefly birthed by the Berlin Conference of 1884-85, colonialism ensured that most countries in Africa and other places around the world were evenly distributed among leading European countries, who systematically ruled over these territories as colonies for centuries.
The result of these ‘governments’ that spanned over 200 years were nations having their cultures altered to suit the narrative of the colonizers; resources successfully and, in some case cases, thoroughly looted; massive cases of inhuman treatment raging from violent physical abuse, amputations and in worst cases, killings on a genocidal level; and the continuous interference in the affairs of these colonies even after they have achieved independence status.
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These aftermaths and their occasioned trauma have caused some persons to inquire or raise an inquisition into the need for reparation to be paid to former colonies. The idea of reparation, which springs from the German Reparation to Israel, would allow former colonial masters to pay compensation to their respective colonies literally.
A lot of issues abound regarding this issue of reparation. While we may agree on the need to soothe old wounds and cure resulting traumas through this means, there is still a question of “how much is enough?” Of course, the value will be proportional to the amount of loss occasioned by this, but how can you quantify that?
Aside from the amount payable, the next issue is who gets what? Who would earn more than the other? You cannot equate the respective persecutions of all the colonies to amount to the same level of persecution. Some got it worse than the others, but that still does not mean that the latter had it any easier too.
The point we are trying to make here is that the payment of reparations is not only infeasible but also impracticable. No amount is enough to pay for centuries of colonialism. No amount can be enough to compensate for the loss of lives, resources and even emotional and mental injuries occasioned by the plight of colonialism.
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Just as the world has moved on, the promulgators of this policy have been advised to do the same. By moving on, we mean for these former colonies to look inward and try to make things work in their countries or States instead of the continuous blame on colonizers. By moving on, we also take the time to heal knowing that time heals all injuries.
So instead of waiting around for compensation, we can begin to restore the lost glories of our lands. We can heal from our hurts, gather our strength and go on to build that kind of nation that would stand tall above our plight and previous hurt.
While we may want to move on, we mustn’t forget. Colonialism in Africa was as bad as it could be and the issue of reparation, though having been ruled out, could be regarded as the right call in this circumstance. However, in the absence of such compensation, we have to take it upon ourselves to ensure that the future generation does not forget.
History may be written by the victors, but the survivors should also be courageous to make their voices heard and tell their story(ies). In our schools, places of worship, businesses and offices, and so on, we should ensure that people are periodically reminded about the resultant effects of colonialism.
In conclusion, colonialism in Africa may have left us worse than it met us with little or no benefits, which has warranted the issue of reparation. However, keeping the memory alive would not only make us not forget but would keep us alert to quickly root out and ensure that colonialism does not take any other form in our lands again.
