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Decades of post-colonial chaos

"Veni, Vidi, Vici, numquam reliquit - ego adduxit inimici mei !"

 Morocco continues to contest the border running along the Western Sahara.

REALITIES

Whatever vision African leaders have had for their countries, there were a number of
factors beyond their control, undermining the practical realisation of their ideals:

 drought and famine in east and southern Africa.

 plummeting commodity prices for a wide range of products, including agricultural
and mineral products, on the world market.

 a leap in oil prices in the 1970s for non-oil-producing countries.

 mounting debts resulting from money borrowed.

 weak currencies many of which became non-convertible.

 pressure from the IMF and World Bank, forcing governments in the 1980s to
remove subsidies on the sort of products which the urban populations of Africa
relied on, most importantly sugar and petrol.
All this created tension and unrest which had huge political consequences."

"The Story of Africa," 151
BBC World Service
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Nkrumah, Nyerere & Others

Julius Nyerere (Quotes)

"Small nations are like indecently dressed women. They tempt the evil-minded."

***
"Should we really let our people starve so we can pay our debts?"

***
"You cannot develop people. You must allow people to develop themselves."

***
"Decisions made in Washington are more important to us than those made here in Dar
es-Salaam. So, maybe my people should be allowed to vote in American presidential
elections."

***
"We, in Africa, have no more need of being 'converted' to socialism than we have of
being 'taught' democracy. Both are rooted in our past -- in the traditional society which

produced us."