Christiane Amanpour, CNN Chief International Reporter
I had a dream. In my dream, I was a journalist covering events at the United Nations, during one of those generic meetings of world leaders. At the entrance, journalists formed hedges on the left and on the right. Directly facing me was Christiane Amanpour, the world-famous CNN journalist. Suddenly, I sighted the Zimbabwean late President, Robert Mugabe approaching. So, I said to her, “here comes your friend.”
“Who?” Amanpour asked, curiosity masking her face.
“Mugabe,” I replied.
My response was greeted by a cacophony of laughter from the other journalists.
Dreams are among many things that puzzle people. But, most times, they are a grit of events or sights the eyes had seen so many times. The sight of Mrs Amanpour hosting Mugabe or other African leaders to discuss issues that characterized Africa, not just Zimbabwe, is very common. Most times, the discussion centres on the handling of Western ideals across the continent.
The core of Western ideals is summed up in the ideology of democracy. As far as we don’t challenge the culture of democracy in Africa, there is nothing wrong with the West insisting that we live up to a refined model of it. A highly refined model of democracy, however, is wrought by the way we do things. It is not designed by what the West wants. When democracy or any of its appendages defies this rule, it stands in isolation. Anyone who knowingly insists that everyone must embrace it is seen to have a hidden motive.
Amanpour glaringly qualifies as an agent of the West on the issue of same-sex marriage, to which she has engaged Mugabe and other African leaders. Nigeria, for instance, is a country with predominantly Muslim and Christian populations. The rests are traditionalists or animists.Christians and Muslims both agree that “in the beginning, God created Adam and Eve.” Whether Christian, Muslim or Animist, the general understanding is that a man marries a woman. With this, they can procreate to sustain the human population and life on the planet.
If Amanpour hosts President Mohammadu Buhari and poses the question, “why can’t you make a law that legalizes same-sex marriage in Nigeria?” Expectedly, his answer would be, “the people haven’t asked for it.” This is because most times when a president sponsors a bill, it has to do with clearing the way so government policies can walk through. If there are such bills that are social, among other bills, they come from the national assembly mostly. This is because MPs are directly in contact with the population across the country.
The West taught us democracy. In the lesson, we were taught that democracy is a style that embraces the yearnings of the majority. It amounts to a huge surprise when the teacher goes against the rules he has taught. It has to come from the approval of the people. Anything else amounts to bullying.
Many across Africa were shocked when former British Primes Minister, David Cameron, declared that, “if African countries refuse to legislate in favour of same-sex marriage, the West will withdraw grants to the continent. It was scandalous not just because of the scale of western anxiety on the matter, the scorn and insult in it, but in the display of ignorance from Cameron. Africans thought that Cameron ought to have known that nothing changes when aid is given, at least in the eyes of common people.
African leaders have often argued that Africans should feel it when the shoe pinches and another person shouldn’t take aspirin for their headaches. What happened after Cameron’s babble only vindicated the African leaders. Rather than becoming benign to gay people, Cameron’s statement ended up as a backlash. Same-sex people exist across the continent and no one cares. In as much as they live life without persecution, people have a right to their opinions on the matter. In northern Nigeria, for instance, they are known as yan daudu. They live their lives and no one cares. Following Cameron’s hot warning, though, MPs in northern states rushed to cut their supplies of oxygen. In the months that followed, there was a flood of arrests. It was as if, they had forgotten to do it and someone just tipped them.
If one must take action on an issue, he should see the logic behind the decision. It should make meaning to him. As I write this, I am struggling to see how same-sex bond measures well on the moral meter of Christians, Muslims, the free-minded and the animists. The best Africa has done on this matter is to pretend they don’t exist. Perhaps, there is something our hazy eyes can’t see on this issue. Perhaps, a day will come when it will clear up. This is why Amanpour must take it easy.
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